Ferraro Vega Employment Lawyers helps hospital workers in Spokane when they’re dealing with unpaid wages. It’s something that nobody in the hospital wants to deal with, whether you’re part of the care staff or in the hospital’s administration. But it happens, and when it does, our team can guide you through the process of making things right. Set up a free consultation.
Why Would I Need a Lawyer?
Working in a hospital in Spokane usually means you’re prepared for a demanding job. Long shifts, rotating schedules, and high-pressure situations are part of the environment. You might expect to stay a little late helping with a patient handoff or finishing documentation at the end of a shift. But what most workers don’t expect is to see those extra hours missing from their paycheck.
Yet when it does, it’s hard to know what to do. It brings up a lot of questions, including whether or not you need a lawyer. You don’t need a lawyer technically, but realistically, it’s a lot to try to handle on your own. Our team can step in and help you with:
- Reviewing work schedules, pay stubs, and employment paperwork
- Explaining what Washington law requires employers to pay
- Communicating with your employer about the issue
- Working toward resolving the situation without making your job more stressful
At its core, paying workers for their time is one of the most basic responsibilities an employer has. Unfortunately, when hospitals are trying to manage budgets or staffing shortages, you and your coworkers are the ones who end up getting hurt.
What Kinds of Unpaid Wages Happen to Hospital Workers Like Me?
The environment that most hospitals operate under makes unpaid wages an unfortunate byproduct. They’re operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And there’s a lot of moving parts. While that might be the perfect storm, unpaid wages are still illegal—and still happen because of a choice that your bosses are making. Here’s a few of the different kinds of ways that you could face unpaid wages when you work in a hospital:
- Missed overtime. A lot of the time, you pick up extra shifts or cover for coworkers and end up working more than 40 hours in a week. When that happens, those extra hours should usually be paid at overtime rates. But there are times when your paycheck doesn’t reflect that overtime, or the hours aren’t calculated correctly.
- Working past the end of your shift. It’s pretty common for you to stay late finishing charting, updating patient records, or helping with a shift handoff. Even if it’s just a little extra time at the end of each shift, it can add up quickly if it’s not being paid.
- Working through your lunch break. Hospitals don’t slow down just because it’s time for your break. There are days when you have to keep working through lunch because things are busy or short-staffed. If that time is still automatically deducted from your pay, it can turn into unpaid wages.
- Unpaid meetings or training. Sometimes, you’re required to attend staff meetings, safety briefings, or training sessions outside of your normal shift. If those meetings are mandatory (and a lot of them are), they should usually count as paid work time.
- Being labeled an independent contractor. In some situations, workers are told they’re “independent contractors.” But if you’re working regular shifts, reporting to supervisors, and following the hospital’s policies, the law may still consider you an employee—even if you’re labeled something else.
What these situations have in common is that you end up hurt because you’re not bringing in the income you were promised. Missing pay—even small amounts at a time—can quickly add up and create financial stress on you and your family.
What Evidence Should I Look For If I Think I Have Unpaid Wages?
Most of the time, you’re going to feel unpaid wages before you actually have proof of it. But one way or the other, it’s going to show up somewhere in the documentation. And while it’s obvious, you still need to actually provide the evidence, and you can do that by providing things like:
- Pay stubs and direct deposit records showing what you were paid
- Work schedules or shift assignments
- Clock-in and clock-out records
- Emails or messages from supervisors asking you to stay late or attend meetings
- Statements from coworkers who are going through similar issues
Even if you only have some of these records, it creates a virtually airtight papertrail about your unpaid wages. But again, it’s not just about having these records, it’s about putting everything together. That’s another area where our team can be really helpful, especially if you want to move forward.
How Can I Deal With Unpaid Wages as a Hospital Worker?
One of things that’s true across the spectrum of unpaid wages in Spokane is that workers are hesitant to bring up issues for fear of losing their job. This doesn’t exclude people like you that work in a hospital. Rightly or wrongly, raising issues with your pay puts a target on your back. But you have protections against this unfair treatment, and it doesn’t always end up in a courtroom. Here’s what you can do:
- Talking with your employer. Sometimes the issue is the result of a payroll mistake. Bringing the problem to HR or management may resolve the situation quickly. If your bosses promise to correct the problem, it’s usually best to ask for confirmation in writing.
- Filing a claim with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). If the issue isn’t resolved once you bring it up directly with your bosses, you can file an unpaid wage claim with L&I. The agency investigates wage violations and can order the hospital to pay the wages they owe you. They can also bring down additional penalties so it doesn’t keep happening. For many workers in your position, this option feels less intimidating because it happens outside of court.
- Filing a lawsuit. If the unpaid wages involve a larger amount or an ongoing issue, filing a civil lawsuit may be the best option for you. It means going to court, though, so it takes more time, effort, and courage to stand up to the hospital’s lawyers in court. However, it gives you access to fuller “damages” like:
- Unpaid wages
- Back pay
- Liquidated damages (additional damages meant to hold employers accountable)
- Attorney’s fees and court costs
- In some cases, damages for emotional distress
If your coworkers at the hospital are going through the same problem, you may also be able to file the claim together through a class action.
Remember, there’s time limits in place. You only have three years from the date of your last unpaid wage to file. That’s usually enough motivation to go after a claim, but it’s also more practical to start sooner. That makes it easier to document things and really catch your bosses in what they’re doing.
Set up a Free Consultation For Unpaid Wage Claims in Spokane
If you work in a hospital in Spokane, your day-to-day is already a grind. So when your bosses try to undercut your wages, it’s incredibly frustrating. But you’re not facing the situation alone. Our Spokane unpaid wage claim lawyers at Ferraro Vega Employment Lawyers can explain your rights, what the path forward looks like, and how you can get your unpaid wages back. Set up a free consultation today.
