FMLA Leave Denied — employer changed my status to contractor

Quick background on my situation — any input appreciated.

employer changed my status to contractor. I've been dealing with this for about 16 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.

I have worked at this company for 12 years. My position is exempt and I do have a written employment agreement beyond the standard offer letter.

Should I hire a lawyer for this or try to handle it myself?

Licensed attorney — a few thoughts. Here's my take on the legal issues.

This is a common situation and the law is fairly clear. Under the FLSA and state wage laws, compensable.

Before taking legal action, consider sending a formal demand letter. In many cases, this alone resolves the issue.

Have you tried reaching out to your state's attorney general? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

Have you tried reaching out to your state's legal aid society? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

Not a lawyer, but I have direct experience with this.

I ended up hiring an attorney to send the initial letter, which cost about $2-4 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

I've seen this play out several times in my field.

What worked for me was having everything documented. It took 3-6 months but was worth it.

I've dealt with this before.

I ended up filing with the appropriate government agency, which cost about $4-8 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Just want to point out — the statute of limitations might be a factor here. In some states it's as short as 1-2 years. Don't sit on this too long.

Have you tried reaching out to your state's labor board? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

I had a similar issue and ended up consulting with an attorney. It was worth the $200-300 for the initial consultation just to understand my rights.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

I ended up having everything documented, which cost about $3-6 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Just want to point out — the statute of limitations might be a factor here. In some states it's as short as 1-2 years. Don't sit on this too long.

I've dealt with this before.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is filing with the appropriate government agency. I'd recommend gathering evidence first instead.

Following this thread — I'm in a very similar situation. Would love to hear how it turns out.