Money Damages = Double the amount of wages the worker is owed

In addition to criminal penalties for failure to pay overtime wages, a business can be liable under RCW 49.52.070 for exemplary damages in the same amount as the unpaid wages owed to the employee. Therefore, an employee could obtain a judgement against their employer in the amount of two times the wages owed. The same statute also provides the court the ability to order the employer to pay attorney’s fees and costs that the employee incurs while trying to recover the wages they are owed. The employee is only entitled to the benefits of this rule provided that they have not knowingly submitted to such violations.

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