Towson Wage and Hour Lawyer

Wage and Hour Lawyer Towson, MD

If your paycheck doesn’t match the hours you worked, or your employer is cutting corners on overtime, skimming time, or calling you an independent contractor to avoid paying benefits, those aren’t just bad business practices. They’re violations of law.

At Eric Siegel Law, our Towson, MD wage and hour lawyer represents workers across Baltimore County who’ve been shortchanged. We handle unpaid overtime claims, minimum wage violations, misclassification disputes, withheld final paychecks, and unauthorized deductions. Maryland law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act both give employees real tools to recover what they’re owed including, in many cases, two or three times the amount withheld.

Why Choose Eric Siegel Law for Wage and Hour Claims in Towson, MD?

Three Decades of Fighting for Workers

The attorneys at Eric Siegel Law have been litigating employment disputes for a combined total of over 50 years. Founding attorney Eric L. Siegel launched his career at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, where he spent years enforcing federal protections on behalf of everyday Americans.

Eric holds a J.D. from UCLA School of Law and is licensed in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New York. His credentials include a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent peer rating, recognition by Best Lawyers (2023), a 10.0 Avvo Rating, and selection to TopVerdict.com’s Top 100 Jury Verdicts in Labor & Employment (2022). He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the D.C. Circuit, the Fourth and Fifth Circuits, and multiple federal district courts.

Senior Counsel James E. Miller focuses primarily on wage and hour disputes, including overtime, minimum wage, and misclassification claims. A Maryland native, James graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law and served as an Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard before entering the legal field. He previously represented the U.S. Army as an employment lawyer before joining Eric Siegel Law to return to employee-side advocacy. His practice covers federal and state courts, arbitration, and administrative proceedings.

Results-Driven Representation

Eric Siegel Law has helped employees across Maryland recover millions of dollars in wage claims and employment cases. When an employer withholds pay without a legitimate dispute, Maryland law allows courts to award up to three times the unpaid amount. That provision exists to deter employers from treating wage theft as a cost of doing business.

If you need an employment lawyer in Towson, MD who takes wage cases seriously, we are that firm.

A Client’s Perspective

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I had an excellent experience working with Mr.Siegel. Eric is not only incredibly knowledgeable and professional, but also genuinely attentive and responsive throughout the legal process. He took the time to understand the details of my case, explained everything clearly. I highly recommend Eric Siegel Law to anyone in need of trustworthy and effective legal representation.” – Andy Moriaty

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Types of Wage and Hour Cases We Handle in Towson

Wage violations take many shapes. Some are deliberate schemes. Others result from employers who simply don’t bother to learn the law. Either way, the employee pays the price. Our firm handles the full range of wage claims for workers in Towson and throughout Baltimore County.

Unpaid overtime. Maryland and federal law require time-and-a-half for every hour worked over 40 in a workweek. Employers who fail to pay proper overtime whether by misclassifying employees, averaging hours across pay periods, or simply ignoring the requirement, owe back wages. We pursue these cases aggressively to recover unpaid overtime.
Minimum wage violations. Maryland’s minimum wage is $15.00 per hour as of 2025. Tipped employees must earn at least $3.63 per hour in direct wages, with tips making up the difference. When employers miscalculate tip credits or pay below the floor, workers can recover unpaid minimum wages.
Employee misclassification. Calling someone an independent contractor or labeling a position “salaried exempt” doesn’t make it so. If your actual job duties don’t meet the legal test for exemption, you are owed overtime and minimum wage protections regardless of your title.
Withheld final paychecks. Under Maryland law, your employer must pay all wages due on or before the next scheduled payday after termination. Failing to do so can trigger treble damages. We help employees collect unpaid wages when employers drag their feet.
Unauthorized payroll deductions. Employers cannot deduct money from your paycheck for breakage, shortages, uniforms, or other items unless you’ve given written authorization. Deductions that bring your pay below minimum wage are always illegal.
Off-the-clock work. If your employer requires you to work before clocking in, after clocking out, during unpaid breaks, or from home without compensation, those hours are compensable under state and federal law.

Maryland Legal Requirements for Wage and Hour Claims

Two overlapping bodies of law govern wage disputes in Maryland. The Maryland Wage and Hour Law (MWHL) sets rules for minimum wage and overtime. The Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law (MWPCL) governs how and when employers must pay employees, what deductions are allowed, and what happens when they don’t comply.

On the federal side, the Fair Labor Standards Act establishes baseline protections for minimum wage and overtime that apply to most workers nationwide. When Maryland law provides greater protection the state standard controls.

Here’s what matters most for workers in Towson and Baltimore County:

Maryland’s minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. Overtime must be paid at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours exceeding 40 per workweek. Overtime is calculated weekly as employers cannot average two weeks together. Employers must maintain accurate wage records for at least three years.

If an employer withholds wages and the failure is not based on a good-faith dispute, a court may award up to three times the unpaid amount under the MWPCL, plus attorney’s fees. Under the FLSA, the equivalent remedy is double the unpaid wages. Workers can file claims under both statutes simultaneously, and the three-year lookback period under Maryland law often provides the broadest recovery window.

Employees also have the right to file a wage complaint with the Maryland Department of Labor’s Employment Standards Service, or to go directly to court without filing an administrative claim first.

Important Aspects of a Towson Wage and Hour Case

How “Exempt” Status Gets Misused

This is the most common payroll violation our wage and hour attorneys in Towson see. An employer labels a position “exempt” to avoid paying overtime, but the employee’s actual duties like answering phones, processing orders, performing manual work don’t qualify for any legal exemption. Under the FLSA, exemptions are narrow. They require specific duties and a minimum salary threshold. We review the actual work performed, not the job title, to determine whether a misclassification occurred.

Tracking Hours When Your Employer Won’t

Many wage disputes involve employers who don’t keep accurate time records, or who alter them. When an employer fails to maintain the records required by law, the burden can shift. The employee’s reasonable estimate of hours worked becomes the starting point, and the employer must disprove it. We advise clients to document wage violations from the moment they suspect a problem: save texts, emails, schedules, and personal time logs.

Understanding the Damages

A Towson wage attorney can recover more than just the missing pay. Under the MWPCL, treble damages apply when the employer’s failure to pay was not the result of a bona fide dispute. Under the FLSA, liquidated damages equal to the unpaid wages (doubling the recovery) are available. Attorney’s fees are awarded separately in both. For an employee who was shorted $500 a month in overtime over two years, the total recovery can be significant.

Retaliation for Reporting Wage Violations

It happens more often than people realize. An employee asks about unpaid overtime or files a complaint, and suddenly they’re written up, demoted, or let go. Maryland law specifically prohibits retaliation against employees who assert their wage rights. So does the FLSA. If your employer punished you for raising a pay issue, that’s a separate claim and often a stronger one.

Filing Deadlines Matter

Under Maryland law, you generally have three years from the date wages were due to bring a claim. Under the FLSA, the window is two years or three years if the violation was willful. Every week that passes, another week of unpaid wages can fall outside the recovery period. If you believe your employer owes you money, the sooner you act, the more you can recover.

Contact Eric Siegel Law

If your employer has failed to pay you what Maryland law requires whether it’s overtime, minimum wage, a final paycheck, or promised compensation you have the right to pursue those wages and potentially recover significantly more.

Eric Siegel Law represents employees throughout Towson, Baltimore County, and Maryland. Contact us to discuss your situation and find out what your claim may be worth.