For many members of the Missouri workforce, the option to work overtime and collect additional benefits is an opportunity to create a better financial situation. However, this advantage can become increasingly frustrating when employers fail to properly distribute overtime pay or neglect to recognize a worker’s extra contributions altogether. When employees are aware of how overtime pay is determined, they may be better able to recognize when they are being treated unfairly.
According to Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations, according to state law, employers are required to pay overtime if their employees exceed 40-hours of work in one week. They are not required to pay if a worker exceeds 8 hours of work time in one day. Overtime pay is one and one-half times the standard rate an employee is already receiving. If an employer asks an employee to waive his or her rights to collect overtime pay, they are in violation of the law and may face significant consequences including fines.
Chron.com suggests that employers may pay their employees overtime differently depending on whether or not certain employees are paid hourly or salary. There are also different exemptions that may alter the way one employee is compensated in comparison to another. Employers who are paying their workers for overtime are required to pay dues in cash form. Awarding overtime with time off, bonuses or other forms of recognition is illegal and subject to penalties. Overtime must be paid promptly at the end of the pay period when all other earnings are given.