Florida Wage & Hour Lawyers

Protecting Employees & Employers in the Florida Workplace

As an employee, when you put in a day’s work, you deserve to be paid fairly and on time. Unfortunately, wage and hour violations are all too common in Florida workplaces. Whether it is unpaid overtime, misclassification, or being denied legally required breaks, these violations affect more than just your paycheck. They can cause stress, uncertainty, and long-term financial hardship.

Cadogan Law represents employees shortchanged by employers who fail to follow federal and state wage laws. Our mission is to help you recover what you are rightfully owed and hold employers accountable for unlawful practices. We serve clients in Plantation, West Palm Beach, Broward County, and statewide in employment law matters. 

We also defend Florida employers against wage and hour claims involving unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work, employee misclassification, and other disputes. We understand the legal complexities and how to contain them before they escalate.

When you contact a wage and hour attorney Florida workers and businesses can rely on, you can also get guidance on whether your situation is best handled through a lawsuit in federal court, a claim under Florida statutes, or an internal resolution with your employer. Many people are unsure if what they are experiencing is illegal or simply unfair, so speaking with counsel who regularly appears in courts such as the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida can help you understand your options before you make a decision.

Request a free consultation with a Florida wage and hour attorney at Cadogan Law at (954) 371-1607 or contact us online. We offer virtual consultations for your convenience. Hablamos español.

Employees: Wage & Hour Violations You May Have Experienced

If you suspect an issue with your pay, it may be more than just a feeling; you may have a valid legal claim.

Wage and hour violations come in many forms, including:

• Unpaid overtime – Non-exempt employees are generally entitled to 1.5 times their hourly rate for weekly hours worked beyond 40.
• Misclassification of employees – Some employers wrongly classify workers as independent contractors or exempt employees to avoid paying overtime or benefits.
• Minimum wage violations – Florida law sets its minimum wage higher than the federal rate. Employers must comply with the state standard.
• Unpaid wages – You may have a legal claim if you are denied regular wages, bonuses, commissions, or final paychecks.
• Off-the-clock work – Any work performed before or after your scheduled shift, during unpaid breaks, or from home may be compensable.
• Meal and rest break violations – While Florida does not mandate breaks for most adult employees, employers who offer them must comply with federal regulations if breaks are unpaid or interrupted.

Our Wage & Hour Services for Florida Workers

At Cadogan Law, we understand how intimidating it can be to stand up to your employer, especially while still on the job or trying to advance in your career. 

For many people, the first step is simply understanding whether they are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act or Florida wage laws, and whether the problem is significant enough to pursue. A wage and hour lawyer Florida employees trust can review your pay stubs, time records, and job duties to identify patterns like off-the-clock work, automatic meal break deductions, or misclassification that might not be obvious at first glance. This kind of analysis can be especially important for workers in industries common throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County, such as hospitality, healthcare, retail, and construction, where complex schedules and tip practices can lead to mistakes or abuse.

We offer:

• Free case evaluation – We can help you understand your rights, assess whether a violation occurred, and explain your legal options.
• Aggressive representation – Our experience representing employers and employees gives us insight into how the other side thinks and how to counter their tactics effectively.
• Compassionate advocacy – We approach each case with the personal attention and fierce dedication you deserve, guiding you every step of the way.

How to Prepare for a Wage & Hour Consultation

Before you meet with a lawyer about a wage or overtime issue, it helps to gather information so your time together is as productive as possible. The goal of an initial consultation is to understand what happened, how long it has been going on, and what laws might apply to your circumstances. Bringing clear details allows the attorney to spot patterns and estimate the strength of your potential claim or defense more quickly. This is true whether you are an employee questioning unpaid hours or a business owner trying to understand your exposure under Florida and federal wage laws.

Employees should try to collect recent pay stubs, any written job descriptions, schedules, timecards, and emails or text messages that relate to work hours or pay. It is also helpful to make a timeline of when you started noticing problems, such as being asked to work off the clock or seeing your pay rate change without explanation. If you work in South Florida hubs like downtown Fort Lauderdale, Brickell, or West Palm Beach, note whether different supervisors or locations treat timekeeping differently, as those details can matter in a wage and hour analysis.

Employers preparing to meet with counsel should gather payroll records, timekeeping policies, employee handbooks, and any communications from the Department of Labor or the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. A wages attorney Florida businesses consult will often want to see how you classify different roles, how managers are trained on overtime approval, and whether there have been similar complaints in the past. Coming prepared with this information helps the attorney give you targeted guidance, whether you are trying to proactively correct issues or respond to a pending claim in a venue such as the Southern District of Florida or a Broward County state court.