Detroit Wage and Employee Rights Attorney
If your paycheck doesn't match the hours, overtime, or other compensation you earned, the shortfall may be more than a payroll error. Michigan’s minimum wage increased to $13.73 per hour on January 1, 2026, changing the pay requirements for covered employees. For restaurant and other tipped employees, the state’s tipped wage rules also affect what an employer must pay. If your paycheck has not kept pace with those requirements—or leaves out hours you worked—you have a concrete reason to question it.
As a Detroit, MI wage and employee rights attorney at Simon Law Co., I help employees address unpaid wages, overtime disputes, and classifications that may improperly limit their compensation. I examine your working arrangements and pay records, identify the laws relevant to your claim, and discuss how to pursue available compensation.
Detroit Wage and Employee Rights Resources
These resources provide practical information about common wage violations, the evidence that may support a claim, and how unpaid wages and other damages may be calculated:
How Michigan Wage and Hour Laws Affect Detroit Workers
Detroit’s municipal livable-wage initiative set a $21.45 hourly minimum for covered city employees in July 2026; the rate does not apply to all employees who work in Detroit. Separately, Wayne County’s living wage ordinance covers qualifying county service contractors and grantees, including specified employees directly performing services for the county. These local requirements have distinct coverage limits, so a work address alone does not establish eligibility for either.
Which wage requirements apply depends on factors such as your employer, your work, and the law covering the disputed pay. You do not need to sort through those distinctions before contacting my firm. You can begin with the payment discrepancy and your employer’s response.
Deadlines Can Affect Your Detroit Wage Claim
Wage claims have time limits, and the applicable deadline depends on the law involved. Under Michigan’s minimum wage and overtime law, an affected employee generally has three years to file a claim or bring a civil action. A successful civil action may allow recovery of the unpaid amount available under the law, an equal additional amount as liquidated damages, costs, and reasonable attorney fees.
Other wage claims can have different deadlines. A complaint to Michigan’s Wage and Hour Division for nonpayment of wages or fringe benefits generally must be filed within 12 months of the alleged violation. Federal claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act generally have a two-year limitations period, which extends to three years for willful violations.
Because the deadline depends on the nature of the wage problem and the law supporting the claim, you do not need to determine the correct filing period yourself. If you notice missing wages, unpaid overtime, or another payment discrepancy, I can evaluate which deadlines may apply.
Federal Wage Protections Across Ohio and Michigan
Michigan and Ohio are both within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. When a Detroit employee brings a federal minimum wage or overtime claim under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Sixth Circuit precedent can therefore shape how federal wage law applies just as it does in federal wage cases arising in Ohio.
That shared federal framework is relevant to issues such as overtime, employee classification, tip credits, and claims involving groups of similarly situated employees. Michigan law can provide separate or additional rights, so I evaluate both the federal and state rules that may apply rather than treating a Detroit claim as though it were an Ohio claim.
My practice focuses on employee-side wage and hour litigation. My case results include a $3 million class settlement for servers at a national restaurant chain and a $500,000 class settlement for salespeople who were not paid overtime. I bring that wage and hour focus to evaluating Detroit claims while accounting for Michigan laws governing your employment.
Pursuing Your Detroit Wage Claim
I help employees turn a payment concern into a supported claim by organizing evidence, addressing the employer’s explanation, and recommending the appropriate avenue for recovery. Any existing complaint or agency response becomes part of that strategy.
Michigan’s Wage and Hour Division has a Detroit office on West Grand Boulevard and accepts qualifying wage complaints online. Covered Wayne County living wage disputes have a separate process through the county’s compliance manager, with a route to Wayne County Circuit Court when the ordinance’s requirements are met.
I account for those procedural differences when evaluating where and how to proceed. That means identifying the information needed to support your position and the issues that could affect your options.
Representation Across Detroit’s Workplaces
My wage and hour representation is available across Detroit’s workplaces, including downtown businesses, Midtown and New Center employment centers, manufacturing operations, and neighborhood employers. I assist with individual wage disputes and matters involving pay practices shared by multiple employees.
If your assignments span Detroit and surrounding communities, I consider the employment arrangement across locations, including changes in worksite, supervisor, or payroll company.
Employee-Focused Representation
My practice represents employees exclusively. For Detroit workers pursuing unpaid compensation, that means I approach the dispute from the employee’s side: questioning unsupported payment decisions, addressing disputed pay practices, and pursuing compensation supported by the evidence and applicable law.
I offer free consultations and contingency-based representation for wage claims. The applicable agreement explains fees and costs so you can understand the financial terms before deciding whether to proceed.
Contact Me at Simon Law Co. About Your Detroit Wage Claim
If you believe your employer has not paid you correctly, call (216) 483-6308 or submit an inquiry through the website to request a free consultation. During our initial conversation, I can learn more about your work arrangement, what you expected to receive, what you were paid, and how your employer explained the difference.
You do not need every payroll record before contacting me. A pay statement, employment agreement, or message about the disputed compensation may provide context, but you can start with what you have. During the consultation, I can discuss your wage claim, answer your questions, and explain your next steps.