Customer Service Representatives: Are You Owed Overtime Pay?

Many companies hire customer service representatives (CSRs) or similar roles to handle customer communication, process orders, and work with other departments to resolve inquiries. These roles may also be called customer service specialists, inbound/outbound sales agents, or virtual receptionists.

Some companies pay CSRs a salary and classify them as exempt from overtime pay under the “Administrative Exemption.” This often results in CSRs working extra hours without receiving the overtime pay they deserve. At Getman, Sweeney & Dunn, we believe that CSRs are frequently misclassified, as their job duties often do not meet the strict criteria of the Administrative Exemption. Even if you receive a salary, you may still be entitled to overtime pay.

Other companies may pay CSRs hourly but fail to pay for all hours worked, potentially violating state wage laws or the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This can include not paying for:

• Work done at home
• Pre-shift tasks, like logging into systems
• Work during lunch or meal breaks
• Post-shift work, such as staying on a customer call after hours

If you’ve worked as a customer service representative (or in a similar role) and weren’t paid for all the hours you worked—including overtime—you may be entitled to compensation.

To discuss your case and determine whether you were paid all the wages owed to you, fill out our Industry Inquiry form today.