People always work hard the entire month to receive a salary at the end of it, but there are also times when you work extra and get paid for it, too. This is where the confusion starts for the employees in Springfield who are not aware of the difference between salary and overtime pay. Not knowing the difference can affect you a lot as you might be working extra but only getting the salary amount.
This is where a lot of employees in Springfield get scammed by the employers. Employers tend to make the employees work for extra hours and yet compensate them on a salary basis. Consulting experienced wage & hour lawyers can help you save yourself from falling into that trap.
What Is A Salary?
Salary is a fixed monthly payment that an employer offers to an employee. If you are an employee, your employer will decide a specific amount for you according to the work you do. Salary is mainly given and agreed on a monthly basis. The amount of experience and the type of work you do plays a vital role in the salary you get. Salary is typically defined by fixed daily timing.
If you work more than the defined times, you are eligible to receive the overtime payment. Salary is not like payment on an hourly basis. It is determined for every month and credited to your account at the end of the month. Salaries are negotiated before signing the contract and have a lot of other benefits like insurance coverage and other performance bonuses.
What Is Overtime Pay?
Once you have joined a company or a job, you have joined them on a salary basis, which means your working timings and the payment structure are fixed. Overtime is when you work extra hours based on the timings that your employer decides. You have to get paid if you are working more than the hours that you and your employer agree. Overtime pay is the compensation amount your employer pays you when you work extra.
You have to make sure that you claim that amount from your employer as it is your hard-earned money. Your employer does not hold the right to deny you the payment of the overtime hours you have worked. Many employers try to scam the employees by not giving them overtime payments, saying that it is a part of the job and comes under the salary amount decided at the beginning of the job. It is essential to be careful and understand all the terminologies when it comes to your compensation.
Read also: The Dos and Don’ts of Resume Writing for Food Service Jobs