WAGE & SALARY DISPUTES

When your employer does not pay you what you are owed — whether through unpaid wages, withheld commissions, illegal deductions, denied overtime, or a missing final paycheck — you have the right to take legal action to recover every dollar. Wage theft costs American workers billions of dollars every year and affects workers at every level, from hourly employees to salaried professionals. At Klie Law Offices, our employment law attorneys help workers throughout West Virginia and Ohio recover the wages they have earned and hold employers accountable for unlawful pay practices.

We handle wage disputes from our offices in Buckhannon, Clarksburg, Morgantown, Parkersburg, and Canton, Ohio.

West Virginia's Wage Payment and Collection Act is the primary state statute governing wage disputes. The Act requires employers to pay all wages due on regular paydays and at termination, prohibits unauthorized deductions from wages, and provides strong remedies for violations. Employees who prevail under the Act may recover the full amount of unpaid wages, liquidated damages (which can equal the amount of unpaid wages, effectively doubling the recovery), reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and interest on unpaid amounts.

The Act also prohibits retaliation against employees who file wage complaints or participate in wage investigations. Combined with West Virginia's broad public policy exception to at-will employment, workers in the state have strong protections when asserting their right to be paid.

Ohio's wage payment laws, including the Ohio Prompt Pay Act, require employers to pay wages on regular, predetermined paydays and to pay final wages within the required time frame after separation. Ohio employees may also bring claims under the Ohio Constitution's minimum wage provision, which includes a private right of action and anti-retaliation protections. Federal claims under the FLSA provide an additional avenue for recovery of unpaid overtime and minimum wages, with the benefit of liquidated damages and attorney's fees. Our Canton office attorneys are experienced in pursuing Ohio-specific wage claims through both state and federal channels.

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Wage disputes can be pursued individually or, when the employer's practices affect multiple employees, as collective or class actions. Under the FLSA, employees can bring collective actions on behalf of all similarly situated workers who opt in to the case. Under state law, class actions may be available where common questions of law and fact affect a large group of employees. Collective and class actions can be particularly effective because they increase the employer's exposure, spread the cost of litigation among multiple claimants, and address systemic pay practices rather than isolated disputes.

Wage claims have time limits that can bar recovery if you wait too long. Under the FLSA, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the violation, or three years for willful violations. West Virginia's Wage Payment and Collection Act provides a similar limitations period. Ohio wage claims may have different time frames depending on the specific statute or legal theory involved. Because each unpaid paycheck is a separate violation, the clock starts running independently for each pay period — but older violations fall off as time passes. This makes it important to consult with an attorney promptly so that the maximum amount of back pay can be recovered.

If your employer has failed to pay your wages, withheld commissions, made illegal deductions, or otherwise shorted your compensation, contact Klie Law Offices for a free case evaluation, or schedule an appointment online. We serve clients from our offices in Buckhannon, Clarksburg, Morgantown, and Parkersburg in West Virginia, and Canton in Ohio.