I think I’m being paid less than minimum wage — what should I do?
Published July 3, 2026
The short answer
Minimum wage is the floor the law sets for what you can be paid for your time — but there isn’t a single national number that fits everyone: your state or city may set a higher one, and certain situations, like tipped work, are calculated differently. What matters is your effective hourly pay — your total pay for a period divided by the hours you actually worked, including any off-the-clock time.
If that effective rate looks low, it’s worth checking against the minimum where you live. Keep a clear record of your hours and pay so your real hourly rate is easy to work out.
What you can do
- 1
Work out your effective hourly rate
Total pay for a period divided by all the hours you actually worked, including off-the-clock time — as your own estimate.
- 2
Include everything that lowers it
Unpaid hours, deductions, or unpaid overtime can pull your real rate down.
- 3
Keep your hours and pay records
Timesheets, clock-in screenshots, and pay stubs make the math checkable.
- 4
Find the minimum that applies to you
It can differ by state, by city, and for tipped roles — see dol.gov or your state labor department.
- 5
Raise it in writing
A written question about your rate creates a dated record.
Where the exact rules matter: the specifics — figures, thresholds, deadlines, and which rules apply — vary by state and by your situation. Check them with the U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov) or your state labor department rather than relying on a number from anywhere else.
In plain terms
- Minimum wage
- The lowest pay per hour allowed by law. Your state or city figure may be higher than the federal one.
- Effective hourly rate
- Your actual pay divided by the hours you really worked — what your pay works out to per hour.
- Tipped minimum
- A different way tipped pay can be calculated in some states. The details vary, and some states don’t use it.
Where rippedoffworker comes in
The guide tells you what to do — the app does it with you.
rippedoffworker helps you log the hours, pay, and treatment as they happen and builds a dated record over time — so your own figures and the pattern behind it are organized in one place, ready to take to the people who can help.
rippedoffworker is a record-keeping tool, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Any amounts are arithmetic on the figures you entered — apparent, not a guaranteed or legally determined amount.
Is it legal?
The Break Room answers that one from the regulation itself, quoted, with a link to the page the words were read from.
Is it legal for my employer to take a till shortage out of my pay?