Tampa manufacturer paying nearly $60K in back wages and damages after US Labor Department investigation

Employer name: Vartek LLC

Investigation site: 6715 North 53rd St., Tampa, Florida 33610

Investigation findings: Investigators from the department's Wage and Hour Tampa District Office found that Vartek, a manufacturer of PVC Flexible Hose and Tubing, violated the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The firm paid employees on a bi-weekly basis and paid overtime after 80 hours in two weeks, rather than legally mandated time and a half for hours worked beyond 40 hours in a single workweek. The employer also required hourly employees to perform various tasks and attend meetings, for as much as 30 minutes each day, before and after their scheduled shifts, and did not record or pay for those additional hours, resulting in an overtime violation when employees worked more than 40 hours in a workweek.

Resolution: The employer, a manufacturer of PVC flexible hose and tubing, agreed to comply with the FLSA and to pay $29,193 in back wages plus an additional equal amount in liquidated damages totaling $58,386 to 38 employees.

Quote: "All employees must be compensated for all of the hours they work. When an employer requires employees to work "off-the-clock" they are denying them a fair day's pay for a fair day's work," said James Schmidt, the Wage and Hour Division's district director in Tampa. "We want to ensure a level playing field so that businesses do not get an unfair advantage over competitors that are following the rules."

Information: The FLSA requires that covered, non-exempt employees be paid at least the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates, including commissions, bonuses and incentive pay, for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also must maintain accurate time and payroll record. For more information about federal wage laws administered by the Wage and Hour Division, or to file a complaint, call the agency's toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). All services are free and confidential. Information also is available at http://www.dol.gov/whd/.