Not all employers treat their employees as well as they should. Some make no attempt to hide their mistreatment. Others are more devious about it.
One common way that an employer can mistreat their workers is to cheat them out of their due wages. Here are some of the ways wage theft might occur:
Expecting you to carry out work activities before you clock in.
Your employer expects you to start working at 8 am sharp every day. That could be fine if you literally walk into the office and sit at your desk at that time. Yet, if they expect you to load the truck at 7.30 am or start driving to an offsite event at 7 am, then they should probably start the clock earlier.
Giving you time off in lieu instead of overtime
If you work over a certain number of hours in a week, you may be entitled to overtime pay at time and a half. If your boss wants you to take time off in lieu rather than pay you extra, they need to allow you one and a half times the hours of overtime you worked. Telling you to take one day off because you worked one extra day is cheating you out of the extra 50% you are entitled to.
Taking your tips
It can be hard to get clarity on how much tip money you are due, especially if you have to pool tips. Some employers skim money off for themselves or use your tips to make up an illegally low wage.
If you have a wage and hour concern, there are legal options available.