Calculating Unpaid Overtime Damages

How Much Are You Really Owed? Let’s Do the Math

You put in the hours: skipped breaks, stayed late, covered for others. You did what had to be done. But when your paycheck didn’t match the time you put in, that uneasy feeling crept in. Chances are, it wasn’t just a mistake. If your overtime’s missing, it could be costing you big. That’s where experienced overtime violation attorneys come in. They dig through your records, uncover every missed hour, and fight to get back what you’re owed.

At Horn Wright, LLP, our New York employment attorneys help you figure out what you’re really owed, whether you’re grinding through double shifts in Brooklyn or covering long weeks in upstate warehouses. New York’s wage laws are am[]ong the toughest in the country, and even if you’re working in Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont, your paycheck still needs to reflect your time. If it doesn’t, our team’s here to help you take it back.

Your Extra Hours Are Adding Up: Here’s Why It Matters

Understanding why those extra hours matter starts with knowing their true value. That means digging into how your pay should be calculated and what you’re really owed.

What’s Your Real Hourly Worth and Why It Matters More Than You Think

Your hourly rate isn’t always what it seems. If you get commissions, bonuses, or shift pay, your true rate might be much higher than your base wage. This matters because federal law requires overtime pay at 1.5 times your regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 each week. That regular rate must include those extras and not just your listed hourly rate. When employers ignore this, you could be missing out on the money you rightfully earned.

Worked Over 40 Hours? Here’s What That Time Is Really Worth

Time-and-a-half isn’t optional. Once you hit 40 hours in a single workweek, your pay rate should increase by 50%. Whether that time is spread across six days or packed into a few long shifts, the rules stay the same. Still, many employers get this wrong, which results in unpaid overtime.

When you work more than 40 hours in a single week, those extra hours should be paid at one and a half times your regular rate. If your employer doesn’t calculate this properly, you could be missing out on the full amount you’re entitled to.

Here’s what you should always double-check:

• The number of hours listed on your timesheet
• Whether your overtime rate includes bonuses or differentials
• That every hour over 40 is paid at 1.5x your regular rate
• That none of your extra hours were logged “off the books”

If those details don’t match what shows up on your paycheck, there’s a problem. Overtime pay must cover all hours worked beyond 40 in a week at the correct rate. Even small inconsistencies can lead to serious underpayment.

Nights, Holidays, and Risky Shifts: Where Extra Pay Slips Through the Cracks

If you’re working weekends, overnights, or holidays, you might be entitled to more than just extra compensation depending on your employment terms. Workers in healthcare, for example, face long, high-pressure shifts that deserve fair pay. Proposed protections for nurses aim to ensure those extended and stressful hours are properly compensated.

Across industries, employers sometimes promise double-time or premium pay and then fall short. When these promises go unmet, it can lead to improper calculation of overtime pay, reducing your income and violating wage laws. Whether it’s an oversight or intentional, those miscalculations can significantly affect your bottom line.

What You’re Missing Could Be Thousands: Let’s Crunch the Numbers

Some underpayments happen because of honest miscalculations, while others are rooted in deliberate actions. Understanding the difference can change how much you’re owed and how far back you can claim.

Was It a Mistake or a Dirty Trick? That Difference Doubles What You’re Owed

Intent changes everything. Maybe it was just a sloppy oversight, or maybe they knew exactly what they were doing. If your boss told you to clock out but keep working, that’s unfair and illegal under the Fair Labor Standards Act. When employers deliberately break the rules, you may be able to recover unpaid wages for a longer time period and even receive double what you’re owed.

You might not always know what’s going on behind the scenes, but the signs of willful violations aren’t hard to spot:

• Altered timesheets that no longer match your hours
• Complaints to HR that went ignored
• A pattern of other employees being underpaid

These errors are more than small slip-ups. They show a bigger problem that the courts take seriously. Spotting overtime violations early means you can do something about it before more money slips through your fingers.

Every Hour Stolen Adds Up: Let’s Break Down the Real Cost

Unpaid time might not seem like a big deal at first, but it quickly adds up once you start doing the math. Missed 30 minutes here and there? That’s hours every week you’re losing, and they’re probably not showing up on your paycheck. A lot of this happens because of off-the-clock work that doesn’t get recorded but still counts under the law. Whether it’s texts asking you to finish tasks after your shift or being told not to log setup time, it adds up fast. And if you weren’t paid for it, that’s your money on the table.

Got Records That Show When You Worked? Let’s Start There

You don’t need a mountain of legal paperwork to prove your case. Any record that shows when you worked, how long you were there, or what your pay looked like can help. That could mean timecards, messages about shift changes, or even screenshots of your schedule. Strong documentation makes a huge difference when pursuing remedies for overtime violations.

Here are a few examples of documents that can support your claim:

• Timesheets and clock-in data
• Paystubs and bank deposits
• Work schedules, including off-the-clock work

Even less formal records such as a photo of a whiteboard schedule can help build your story. Keep anything that helps show when you were working. The more accurate and complete your records are, the easier it is to back up your claim and uncover employee rights violations hiding in plain sight.

Unpaid Hours Taking a Toll? Your Paycheck Deserves a Second Look

Overtime violations have a way of slipping by unnoticed, often chipping away at your earnings long before you realize something’s off. If your hours aren’t fully accounted for on your paychecks, it’s time to take a closer look. Speaking with overtime violation attorneys can help you uncover discrepancies and determine how much you may be owed.

Start reclaiming what you’ve worked for. Contact Horn Wright, LLP, today to get clarity and take the first step toward recovery.