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1215 N. Mesa St., El PasoMon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm · Thursdays until 7pm · Saturdays 9am–1pmMon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
Carrizal & Hockaday
(915) 555-0163
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Unpaid pay

Hours worked are hours owed

Pay claims are the most common reason people call us, and often the easiest to prove.

Overtime past 40 hours, minimum wage, tips, a final check, the half hour before clock-in that nobody counts. We add up what's missing from your records and theirs, then ask for it.

Many wage laws let a worker recover more than the shortfall, and make the employer cover the lawyer's fee on top.

Calls we get every week

  • Overtime paid as straight time

  • A salary, for what is really hourly work

  • Called a contractor, treated like staff

  • Tips kept by a manager or owner

  • Work before clock-in or after clock-out

  • A last paycheck that never came

Ask about your pay
Three construction workers in hard hats on a building frame, silhouetted against an orange evening sky

How it usually goes

From pay stub to paid

Most pay claims follow the same four steps. Some stop at the second.

  1. 01

    Step 1: We do the math

    Bring pay stubs and a rough schedule. We compare the hours you worked with what you were paid.

  2. 02

    Step 2: We send a demand

    A letter to your employer with the figure and the law behind it. Plenty of claims settle here.

  3. 03

    Step 3: We file if we must

    A claim with a labor agency or a lawsuit in court, whichever gets you paid sooner.

  4. 04

    Step 4: You get the check

    A settlement or judgment, paid to you after fees and costs as your written agreement says.

Pay questions

How far back can I claim?

For federal overtime and minimum wage, usually two years, or three if the employer knew better. Each paycheck starts its own clock, so the oldest weeks drop off first. Call sooner rather than later.

I was paid in cash. Does that matter?

Cash pay still has to meet minimum wage and overtime rules. Write down the hours you worked and what you were paid, as best you remember. Your memory is evidence too.

Do I need papers to claim unpaid wages?

Wage laws cover work you've already done, whatever your immigration status. We don't ask about status to look at a pay claim.

Can they cut my hours for asking?

Punishing you for asking about pay is retaliation, a claim of its own. Read about it on our retaliation page, and keep a note of any change in your schedule.