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Simple English definitions for legal terms
back pay
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A quick definition of back pay:
Back pay is money that an employer owes to an employee for work that was already done or should have been done if not for some interference. If an employee thinks they were paid less than what they were supposed to be paid, they can file a claim with the U.S Department of Labor for back pay. Employers can be held responsible for back pay if they didn't follow the law, like not paying minimum wage or taking tips. If an employee was fired unfairly, they may also be entitled to back pay for the time they would have worked if they weren't fired.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Back pay is money that an employer owes to an employee for work that was already done or could have been done if not for some interference. This compensation is usually paid when an employer has unlawfully withheld an employee's wages or when an employee has been wrongfully terminated.
For example, if an employee works overtime but their employer fails to pay them the required 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for those extra hours, the employee may be entitled to back pay for the unpaid overtime. Another example is if an employee is wrongfully terminated and can prove that the termination was discriminatory, retaliatory, or a violation of their rights, they may be entitled to back pay for the wages they would have earned if they had not been fired.
Back pay is governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in the United States. If an employee believes that their employer has not paid them the wages they are owed, they can file a claim with the U.S Department of Labor for back pay under 29 U.S.C. §216.
Overall, back pay is a way to ensure that employees are fairly compensated for their work and that employers are held accountable for any violations of labor laws.