I know your internet law degree is very important to you. I have a real law degree and I would never ever do what I see here constantly.
Posters confidentially tell OP they have no rights, don’t bother. Just move on.
Unless and until you talk to a local attorney about all the details, you have no fucking idea. No idea at all.
Call the labor board. Call the bar association for a referral. Call the local law school to see if they do pro bono. Call the local legal aid. Call call call.
Even if you don’t have rights, you’ll learn a lot. You might preserve a claim next time, you might help others.
Shut the fuck up when you’re telling people they have no rights.
ETA: I’m going to back away and let the convo develop but here’s some insight:
Client interviews are hard because lay people focus on the wrong details and it takes an expert to know which follow up questions to ask. There’s a million weird technicalities and rabbit holes.
To see lay people listen to another lay person’s story and confidentially declare “there is no case!” is very very painful to watch.
Even a labor attorney from the wrong state could miss things. I promise you, you don’t know as much as you think you do.