Wage Theft in construction — forced to work through lunch breaks

Quick background on my situation — any input appreciated.

forced to work through lunch breaks. I've been dealing with this for about 14 months now and the situation isn't improving.

I have worked at this company for 1 years. My position is exempt and I do not have a written employment agreement beyond the standard offer letter.

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

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

I've handled similar cases. Here's my take on the legal issues.

The legal framework here involves both federal and state law. At the federal level, OSHA regulations. Your state may provide additional protections.

I'd recommend documenting everything in writing from this point forward. Keep copies of all communications.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

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

I've dealt with this before.

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

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

I ended up escalating to a supervisor/manager, which cost about $1-3 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Been there. Here's what I learned.

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

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

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is hiring an attorney to send the initial letter. I'd recommend being patient with the process instead.