How to file a complaint with the Department of Labor regarding an employer breaking the law?

[nicolas]

I work in a restaurant and my Employer has done two things which are illegal in any workplace in the United States.

The first one is we are refused any breaks or lunch in an eight hour shift. By law he is required to give two 15min breaks (paid) and one 30min unpaid lunch. I only receive one 10min break (if that) per eight hour shift. I'm also pretty sure he doesn't pay overtime but he makes a big fuss to get you out of there before 8 hours is up.

The second issue is that he lowered wages without any prior notification from 10 per hour to 9. This is after the second paycheck also. He said "it was a mistake you were meant to get paid 9" although I know for a fact he knew he was paying us 10.

So my question is how do I go about reporting this anonymously? Despite it being illegal for him to fire me for reporting him he will find a way to get me out of there.

I'm attempting to find another job but for the time being I must continue working here and I dont like my rights being ignored.

Thanks in advance.

[abelard29]

Contact the Dept. of Labor, in person, or by phone, and explain your circumstances. Have a pen ready to write down the name, and numbers of the person who takes your imformation. When you get the form, fill it out, and return it, pronto. Stay in contact with them, and you'll land on your feet. They are not like the Better Business Bureau, because they have teeth, and can enforce monetary compensation, if it applies.

[jabarl]

I don't believe you.

I don't know of any restaurant that is busy for 10 hours at a time. Every restaurant I have eaten at has a lunch rush and a dinner rush and slow times in between. There are separate shifts which overlap, so lunch people are leaving as the dinner people are starting up.

So if your employer is so busy that you have to work straight through with no breaks, he is seriously understaffed. And if he is understaffed all you would have to do is say "look, I need a break. I'm entitled to one, and I can quit and leave you ever shorter-handed if we can't agree on break times."

Problem solved.