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Question About Paycheck

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mk12977

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL

I started a new job and I have never seen paychecks done this way. I just want to understand what the heck my employer is doing. I am going to do my best to give you exactly whats going on:

Last pay period (we get paid every two weeks), I worked 98.57 hours (18.57 hours overtime). I get paid $12 an hour. On my paycheck, it shows the hours I worked for that time period and the hourly rate of $9.50, which comes out to $936.42. Under that shows the word "Bonus" with $227.98 so a Grand Total of Gross pay was $1164.40 for that pay period. After a ridiculous amount of taxes taken out (I have never seen so much tax taken out.. II am a single mom of 3, so I claim quite a bit) my Net Pay came out to $976.06.


TWO QUESTIONS: There was no overtime on that check. Is it a law in ILLINOIS that if you work over 40 hours in a work week, you get time and a half? Every other place I have EVER worked at in IL, I have always gotten overtime pay, if I worked overtime. Just want to make sure...

Finally, my biggest question is... Why does he do the $9.50 an hour and then put a "bonus" amount? Does that benefit him? Me? Its just weird how he does it and I just want some clarification on it.

Thank you for your time!
 


cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
It is a Federal law that if you work over 40 hours in a week, the hours over 40 must be paid at time and a half (certain exceptions apply). Federal laws apply in all 50 states, including Illinois.

As for the amount you were paid, I can't figure it out. If you earn $12 an hour you were underpaid; if you work $9.50 an hour you were overpaid. Only he can tell you why he marked it as "bonus" rather than "overtime".

When you asked your employer to explain your check, what did he say?
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL

I started a new job and I have never seen paychecks done this way. I just want to understand what the heck my employer is doing. I am going to do my best to give you exactly whats going on:

Last pay period (we get paid every two weeks), I worked 98.57 hours (18.57 hours overtime). I get paid $12 an hour. On my paycheck, it shows the hours I worked for that time period and the hourly rate of $9.50, which comes out to $936.42. Under that shows the word "Bonus" with $227.98 so a Grand Total of Gross pay was $1164.40 for that pay period. After a ridiculous amount of taxes taken out (I have never seen so much tax taken out.. II am a single mom of 3, so I claim quite a bit) my Net Pay came out to $976.06.


TWO QUESTIONS: There was no overtime on that check. Is it a law in ILLINOIS that if you work over 40 hours in a work week, you get time and a half? Every other place I have EVER worked at in IL, I have always gotten overtime pay, if I worked overtime. Just want to make sure...

Finally, my biggest question is... Why does he do the $9.50 an hour and then put a "bonus" amount? Does that benefit him? Me? Its just weird how he does it and I just want some clarification on it.

Thank you for your time!
Need the exact break down, by week, of the hours worked. Assuming that you worked 40 hours plus about 9ish hours overtime each week, your pay should have been:

$12*40 = $480 * 2 = $960
18.57 hours * $12 * 1.5 = $334.26
Grand total of $1294.26

You were shorted based on the assumptions.
 

commentator

Senior Member
First step. Talk to the employer. Second step, talk to Wage and Hour division of your state Department of Labor. They'll look at exactly what is going on, and they will make sure the employer is following the minimum wage and overtime hours correctly as directed by the federal and any state laws that apply. Do not threaten your employer. Just talk to him, and if he doesn't have a good explanation, if he's really not paying overtime correctly, then you talk to Wage and Hour. You don't have to quit the job or tell anyone you're going to or that you did it, either. They won't rat you out. It might turn out that what he's doing is perfectly okay, but Wage and Hour will be the ones who will be happy to explain this to you in that case. They know all the pertinent laws.
 

mk12977

Junior Member
I definitely was not overpaid. :) I was expecting roughly around what was figured out above ($1200ish). I tried talking to my boss and he really didn't give me an answer because he rushed through it and changed subjects. That's why I was coming to you all :) My boss is a man that is EXTREMELY successful business owner (he has several businesses). However, I brought up overtime and he said he didn't believe he was obligated to pay overtime. I thought that was REALLY bizarre! Because even I knew that you did. You would think he, of all people, would know the laws. I think I will contact the appropriate people to figure this out. Something is up! Thanks for your help!
 

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