If you are a minor or a tipped employee, you may be paid less than your state's general minimum wage of $8.50. However, if you are not a minor or tipped employee (e.g. waiter), you must be paid minimum and, if not, may wish to contact the state department of labor to file a wage complaint; the DOL may investigate and help you. (If they don't, you could sue.) You could potentially recover an amount equal to the difference between what you were paid and what you should have been paid. Also, if you work more than 40 hours in any work week, you should get overtime for all hours past 40; if you did not, you could potentially recover that, too.