BALTIMORE — Maryland state officials recently disclosed a startling revelation that thousands of workers had their hours miscalculated for years and could be due significant back pay.
The discovery affects at least 13,000 current state workers, but the total could be even higher if former employees are taken into account.
Representatives for the state government believe workers could receive anywhere from $2 to $30 for each pay period due to accounting errors in the state’s payroll system. Officials believe it could take months or even years to fully correct the wrongs brought on by the state’s shortcomings.
Police and Hospital Workers Most Likely to be Affected
According to reports, the most likely individuals to be affected by the payroll errors are state employees who worked night shifts and other non-traditional hours between 5 pm and 8 am. This would include police, corrections officers, and hospital workers.
Maryland officials notified four major state employee unions about the payroll errors and vowed to make the corrections. Union leaders responded in turn by steadfastly proclaiming their expectations that every worker would be pay for every hour worked, whether they were short-changed recently or decades earlier.
Workers Raised Concerns About Back Overtime Pay
Union officials have come out saying that the workers they represent brought the payroll discrepancies to the attention of state officials but the claims were not taken as seriously as they should have been. They say it is another classic example of bureaucrats not listening to the people.
Maryland only took the situation seriously after installing a new, statewide payroll system at the end of May 2016. Prior to this, dozens of different payroll systems were used across the state, many requiring manual calculations, which could be fraught with human error.
Exactly how much the state may need to reimburse its employees depends on three factors:
- Who was shortchanged
- By how much
- For how long
Early estimates range from $676,000 to $10,000,000 just for a single year.
State Employee Overtime Pay Lawsuit
Call (855) 754-2795 or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review form on the top right of this page if you feel that your wage rights are being violated under the FLSA. Our top-rated team of unpaid wage lawyers will evaluate your situation to determine your best course of action to help you seek justice.
Our office will also determine if it is in your best interest to file a lawsuit against your employer. Because strict time limitations apply for filing these types of claims, we advise you contact our experienced unpaid overtime wage attorneys at your earliest convenience and preserve your legal rights.