Wage theft occurs when an employer fails to pay employees the full compensation they earned. This may include final wages, unpaid overtime, unpaid commissions, withheld bonuses, off-the-clock work, improper deductions, or misclassification as an independent contractor. Employees have the right to be paid accurately and lawfully for the work they perform.
Unpaid overtime claims often arise when employees work more than 40 hours in a workweek but are not paid the overtime premium of time-and-a-half. Employers violate wage laws by discouraging employees from recording all hours, editing time records, paying a salary without analyzing overtime eligibility, or failing to include bonuses and commissions in the regular rate used to calculate overtime.
Steenland Law helps employees evaluate wage theft and unpaid overtime claims with careful attention to pay records, schedules, job duties, compensation agreements, and the employer’s payroll practices. These cases require precise factual analysis, a clear damages calculation, and focused advocacy to recover the wages employees earned.
Wage theft is not always obvious on a paycheck. Sometimes it shows up as missing overtime, edited time records, unpaid commissions, or work the employer expects you to perform before or after your shift. The most common patterns we see in Western PA workplaces:
A clear path from the moment you reach out to the moment your case is resolved — with you informed at every step.
Call 412.819.1462 to schedule your free consultation. We'll listen to your story, ask the right questions, and give you a clear sense of where you stand — before you commit to anything.
During the consultation, we'll review your situation and explore your legal options. We'll explain the law in plain language, walk through what's at stake, and identify every claim worth pursuing.
Once we identify the best path forward, we begin advocating for you — firmly, strategically, and without delay. You focus on your future. Kyle handles the fight.
Wrongful termination cases are handled on contingency — you pay nothing up front, and our fee is a percentage of what we recover. If we don't recover, you owe us nothing.
Questions Kyle hears every week from Pittsburgh workers. Don’t see yours? Reach out — the first conversation is free.
You may have a case if your employer failed to pay all wages you earned, including overtime, commissions, bonuses, tips, final pay, or other promised compensation. The best first step is a free consultation so we can review your pay records, schedule, job duties, and the facts.
Many employees are entitled to overtime when they work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Being paid a salary does not automatically mean you are exempt from overtime. If you are paid hourly, work overtime hours, and receive a separate bonus, you may be entitled to overtime wages. Ultimately, your actual job duties, pay structure, and hours worked matter.
No. Employers must pay employees for work they know about or require, including work before a shift, after a shift, during unpaid breaks, or from home. If you worked the time, your employer should not be allowed to pretend it did not happen.
Misclassification is a common form of wage theft. Employers may call someone an independent contractor, salaried employee, or manager even when the law still requires minimum wage or overtime pay. The label matters less than the actual working relationship and job duties.
Helpful evidence may include paystubs, schedules, time records, text messages, emails, job descriptions, commission agreements, calendars, screenshots, and notes showing the hours you worked. Even if the employer controls the records, your own timeline and documents can help prove what you are owed.
About an hour of your time. We walk through your facts, identify every potential claim, and tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing — even when the answer is no.