Employment Lawyer New York City Unpaid Wage Full Recovery

Following separation, the client experienced immediate economic strain because unpaid wages represented a substantial portion of expected post employment income. 

During his tenure, he consistently worked beyond standard daily hours and regularly performed weekend work, yet pay records failed to reflect any overtime or premium compensation. 

The employer’s position was based on a generalized claim that total compensation covered all work performed, without documentary support. A review of employment records showed no written agreement or payroll designation supporting that assertion.

At the outset, the client faced uncertainty about whether to pursue administrative remedies or civil litigation. While labor agency complaints can be effective, delays and limited recalculation often restrict full recovery. 

After consultation, the employment lawyer New York City advised a civil action strategy that would allow a complete reassessment of wages, recovery of unpaid compensation, and inclusion of interest on delayed payments. 

This approach aligned with the client’s goal of full financial restoration.

The employer argued that irregular attendance records made overtime calculations unreliable. However, a comprehensive comparison of time logs, internal schedules, and witness statements demonstrated consistent daily overtime and fixed weekend work. 

The employment lawyer New York City reconstructed monthly work hours to reflect actual labor performed, revealing significant underreported overtime. 

This analysis showed that premium compensation had never been properly accounted for in payroll practices.

Beyond overtime, the employer failed to properly calculate end of employment compensation. Certain earnings components were excluded from final wage calculations, resulting in a materially reduced payout. 

By reassessing historical pay data and aligning it with New York standards for wage calculation, the employment lawyer New York City established that the employer’s methodology understated the employee’s lawful entitlement. 

The court later accepted this corrected calculation as credible and well supported.

Prior agency review had only partially recognized the employee’s overtime hours. 

Through detailed evidentiary submissions, including reconstructed schedules and corroborating testimony, the employment lawyer New York City demonstrated that actual overtime exceeded agency estimates by a wide margin.

This correction substantially increased the total claim value and reframed the scope of the employer’s liability.

The employer’s final pay figures excluded recurring earnings elements that should have been incorporated into average wage calculations. 

Counsel presented a revised computation reflecting the full earnings history, showing that the employer’s approach failed to meet New York standards. 

The court found the revised figures persuasive and consistent with established wage calculation principles.

The ruling confirmed that unsupported assertions about inclusive compensation cannot override documented work hours and payroll records. 

By recognizing the corrected calculations, the court ensured the employee received complete financial relief for years of uncompensated labor. 

The inclusion of interest further underscored the cost of delayed compliance for employers.