June 11, 2024

Department of Labor files complaint amid alleged wage violations by IHOP franchise operator of O’Fallon, Alton, Illinois locations

EAST ST. LOUIS, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a complaint in federal court against two Illinois restaurants — operating as IHOP franchises in O’Fallon and Alton — and their owner after its investigation identified numerous violations, including management telling servers to surrender their tips to a shared tip pool when, in fact, the owner was keeping the tips for the restaurant or sharing them with back-of-the-house employees not eligible to participate in a mandatory tip pool. 

June 11, 2024

Department of Labor obtains court order requiring Asmussen Racing Stables, leading thoroughbred trainer, to pay workers $486K in back wages, damages

LOUISVILLE, KY – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court order requiring one of the nation’s most successful thoroughbred horse trainers to pay $243,260 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages after its investigation found the employer’s illegal pay practices denied 163 grooms and hotwalkers at Churchill Downs and at Keeneland racetrack in Lexington of overtime wages.

June 10, 2024

Department of Labor recovers $253K for 19 restaurant workers whose Albuquerque employer withheld tips, wages at two franchise locations

Employers name:            X.M. Investment LLC, Beemer Investments LLC, both operating as Crackin’ Crab

Investigation sites:        4959 Pan American Freeway NE, Suite C, Albuquerque, NM 87114

                                                  2100 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Suite 413, Albuquerque, NM 87114

June 10, 2024

Department of Labor investigation, litigation recovers $120K in back wages, damages for 29 Long Island landscaping, sprinkler installation workers

Date of action:                       May 20, 2024

 Type of action:                      Consent Judgment  

 Names of defendants:           Brookhaven Irrigation Corp., Michael Coggins

June 6, 2024

Department of Labor recovers $157K in owed wages, damages for 46 food service workers denied overtime in Rio Grande Valley

Employer name:                 LJ2 Investments LLC, operating as Jasso Express

Investigation site:             805 E. Ferguson Ave.

                                                     Pharr, TX 78577

June 6, 2024

El Departamento de Trabajo recupera $157 mil en sueldos adeudados, daños, perjuicios para 46 trabajadores en el Valle del Rio Grande

Nombre del empleador:             LJ2 Investments LLC, que opera como Jasso Express

Sitios de investigación:               805 E. Ferguson Ave.

                                                                  Pharr, TX 78577

May 29, 2024

El Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. multa a un restaurante de Port Isabel por emplear a menores, en violación de las leyes laborales federales

Nombre del empleador:         Dirty Al's 2 Inc., que opera como Dirty Al's at Pelican Station

 Sitios de investigación:         201B S. Garcia St.

                                                            Port Isabel, TX 78578

May 29, 2024

Rhode Island nail salons, owner agree to stop worker retaliation; pay $753K in back wages, damages after US Department of Labor investigations, litigation

BOSTON – Three Rhode Island nail salons in Cumberland, East Greenwich and North Providence and their owner have agreed to pay employees $753,500 in back wages and damages and take corrective actions to resolve violations of the anti-retaliation provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the FLSA’s overtime requirements. 

May 29, 2024

US Department of Labor fines Port Isabel restaurant for employing children in violation of federal labor laws

Employer name:                Dirty Al’s 2 Inc., operating as Dirty Al’s at Pelican Station

 Investigation sites:         201B S. Garcia St.

                                                    Port Isabel, TX 78578

May 28, 2024

Departamento de Trabajo recupera más de $450.000 para 62 trabajadores de dos granjas en Half Moon Bay, lugar de tiroteos mortales en 2023

SAN FRANCISCO - Una investigación del Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. ha recuperado más de $450,000 en sueldos atrasados y compensación por daños para 62 personas empleadas en dos granjas de hongos de Half Moon Bay - donde un trabajador descontento disparó y mató a siete trabajadores migrantes en enero de 2023 - y ha impuesto multas después de que los investigadores descubrieran que los empleadores pagaban de menos a los trabajadores y los alojaron en viviendas inseguras.

May 28, 2024

Federal investigation, litigation recovers $175K in back wages for 44 miners laid off, then denied last paycheck after employer files bankruptcy

CHARLESTON, WV – An investigation and litigation by the U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $175,000 in back wages from a Charleston coal mining company that laid off 44 Matewan miners and denied them a final paycheck while filing for bankruptcy.

May 24, 2024

  Department of Labor encourages recovery employers to be prepared to avoid wage violations before severe weather, other disasters strike

 

OKLAHOMA CITY –After severe weather and other natural calamities strike, the U.S. Department of Labor urges employers who clear debris, repair homes or provide other disaster recovery services to avoid using pay practices that violate federal regulations by taking advantage of the many resources it provides.

May 24, 2024

Department of Labor encourages recovery employers to be prepared  to avoid wage violations before severe weather, other disasters strike

HOUSTON –After severe weather and other natural calamities strike, the U.S. Department of Labor urges employers who clear debris, repair homes or provide other disaster recovery services to avoid using pay practices that violate federal regulations by taking advantage of the many resources it provides.

May 22, 2024

US Department of Labor files complaint seeking $300K in back wages, damages for Belleville restaurant workers denied minimum wage, overtime

Employers:    Gordo Corp., operating as El Gordito, Belleville, Illinois

                        Patricia and Samuel Gonzalez Lara, owners

Action:           Complaint filing

Court:             U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

May 22, 2024

Court denies Vermont employers’ motion to dismiss Department of Labor lawsuit alleging social media retaliation against employees

BOSTON – A federal court in Vermont has concluded that the First Amendment does not protect a Milton, Vermont, excavation contractor and its officials from using social media to retaliate against employees. The decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont is the latest action in ongoing litigation between the Department of Labor and Bevins & Son Inc.

May 21, 2024

US Department of Labor recovers $38K in back wages for 17 workers, court finds Dearborn restaurant owner in contempt of 2018 order

Employers:    MKK Holding Inc., operating as the Blue Fish Asian Cuisine, Dearborn, Michigan

                        Sung Hee Kim

                        Min Kyu Kim

                        Yong Kim                        

May 21, 2024

Court orders Long Island employer who demanded employees kick back recovered wages to pay $15K in punitive damages

Date of action:                      May 20, 2024

 Type of action:                     Consent judgment and order 

 Names of defendants:           P & B Heating & Air Conditioning Corp., West Babylon, New York; 

                                               Craig Napolitano; Robert Napolitano