When the paycheck doesn't match the contract

For stewards: the questions members actually bring you

• "They're not paying the rate on the schedule." On state-funded projects, the certified prevailing wage is a legal floor separate from the CBA. Check it in two clicks in the prevailing wage lookup, trade by trade, county by county, with the date we verified it.
• "My overtime check looks light." Time and a half is owed after 40 hours under federal law for most employers, and shift differentials and certain bonuses belong in the rate before the multiplier. The overtime calculator shows the math in dollars, in the member's browser, with nothing stored.
• "They docked my check for a mistake." Minnesota generally requires the worker's written authorization, given after the loss, before that deduction is legal. A form signed at orientation does not cover it.
• "Is this even worth a grievance?" The wage theft checkup gives an honest read in two minutes, including "this looks lawful" when it does. It will also say, honestly, when the free state complaint process is the fastest path.

Where the grievance ends and the law begins

Grievances enforce the contract. But some pay problems are statutory: they belong to the worker whether or not the contract mentions them, and they survive even when a grievance deadline has passed. Unpaid hours, illegal deductions, tip skimming, late final paychecks, and prevailing wage underpayment all carry their own state enforcement through the Department of Labor and Industry, at no cost, no lawyer required. A steward who knows both tracks gets members paid faster.

When the same practice hits a whole crew, the calculus changes again; that is the point where an attorney's involvement can move real money. The get help page lays out the options in the order worth considering them.