October 28, 2015

WHD News Brief: Department of Labor sues MOBIS North America for firing worker seeking time off under Family and Medical Leave Act [10/28/2015]

Type of Action: Family and Medical Leave Act Complaint Filing

Names of Defendants: MOBIS North America LLC

Complaint: The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit in federal court seeking reinstatement, back wages and employment benefits of approximately $100,000 and an equal amount in liquidated damages for an automotive plant worker fired by MOBIS North America LLC in Toledo.

October 27, 2015

WHD News Release: J&J Snack Foods pays more than $2.1M in back wages, damages to 677 temporary workers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania [10/27/2015]

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. — Two federal investigations have found that temporary production line workers at J&J Snack Foods Corp., a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of popular food and beverages, were significantly cheated out of their wages by the company and two staffing firms hired to provide the workers.

October 26, 2015

WHD News Release: Buffet restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia, agrees to pay more than $227K in back wages, interest to 13 kitchen workers [10/26/2015]

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — For the kitchen workers at an Alexandria restaurant, making ends meet was a never-ending challenge, and working long, exhausting hours didn't help.

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Wah Feng LLC, doing business as Win Buffet, a full-service buffet restaurant in Alexandria, did not pay employees minimum wage and overtime, as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

October 23, 2015

WHD News Release: US Labor Department conducting wage survey of building and heavy construction industries in New Hampshire [10/23/2015]

PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division is conducting a statewide building and heavy construction survey in New Hampshire to collect data on wages paid to workers on all active building and heavy construction projects in New Hampshire between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2015. This survey is not limited to federally funded construction projects. The information provided will help establish prevailing wage rates, as required under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts.

October 22, 2015

WHD News Release: Owners agree to change employment practices at 4 companies after US Labor Department finds significant wage violations at Michigan hotel [10/22/2015]

GRAYLING, Mich. — Workers in the hotel industry are hard-working people who greet us with a smile as they welcome us. Many of these workers earn low wages and often struggle to meet basic needs. This challenge is made even more difficult when employers fail to pay them properly for the jobs they perform.

U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigators found significant minimum wage and overtime violations at the Ramada Hotel Grayling, operated by Wellston, Michigan-based Satnaam Ji Inc.

October 20, 2015

WHD News Brief: Judge orders enforcement of US Labor Department subpoena to Connecticut employer [10/20/2015]

Date of action: Sept. 18, 2015

Type of action: Ruling on petition for enforcement of subpoena

Name(s) of defendant: LaserShip, Inc., dba LaserShip

October 15, 2015

WHD News Brief: Federal Judge orders Salt Lake City house flipper to stop falsifying records and interfering with US Labor Department investigation [10/15/2015]

Date of Action: Sept. 22, 2015

Type of Action: Preliminary Injunction

Names of Defendants: Foreclosure Connection, Inc. and its owner Jason Williams

Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Central Division, Salt Lake City

October 15, 2015

WHD News Brief: U.S. Labor Department finds Ohio glass company owes more than $46K in unpaid wages, damages and penalties [10/15/2015]

Date of Action: Oct. 2, 2015

Type of Action: Fair Labor Standards Act Lawsuit

Names of Defendants: Greenville Architectural Glass LLC, Gail A. Cooper

October 15, 2015

WHD News Brief: OSHA finds improper load rigging caused fatal worker injury in Lincoln, Nebraska [10/15/2015]

Employer name: CBS Pilings Solutions Inc., Riverside, Missouri

Citations received: Oct. 14, 2015

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Omaha Area Office cited the drilling contractor for three serious safety violations, after a 42-year-old worker was fatally injured on a job site in Lincoln, Nebraska on June 24, 2015.

October 13, 2015

WHD News Brief: US Labor Department obtains judgment ordering Brooklyn day care chain to pay back wages and not retaliate against employees [10/13/2015]

Employer name: Flowers of the Sun Inc., doing business as Ilene's Sunflower, and Ilene Lieberman

Investigation site: 366 President St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11231

October 8, 2015

WHD News Brief: Tempe, Arizona medical transport company to pay more than $33K in back wages to 38 drivers and dispatchers [10/08/2015]

Employers: Hope Medical Transportation

Sites: 2231 S. 48th Street, Suite 104, Tempe, Arizona, 85282

Investigation findings: Wage and Hour investigators established that Hope Medical Transportation, a non-emergency medical transportation company, did not pay overtime to workers paid on a salary basis when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek. The employer failed to keep an accurate record of hours worked, and misclassified most of its drivers as independent contractors until January 2014.

October 8, 2015

WHD News Brief: Lawsuit seeks nearly $60K in back wages and damages for employees of debt settlement service referral company [10/08/2015]

Date of Action: Sept. 16, 2015

Type of Action: Fair Labor Standards Lawsuit

Names of Defendants: Marketing Solutions Group Inc., d/b/a Wise Debt Relief; d/b/a GoWize; d/b/a Consumers Legal Center and Michael S. Gross

Allegations: An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found Marketing Solutions Group Inc. and its owner, Michael Gross violated the FLSA's overtime and minimum wage provisions.

October 6, 2015

WHD News Brief: Florida clothing company, Exist Inc., fails to pay workers overtime pay [10/06/2015]

Employer name: Exist Inc.

Investigation site: 1650 NW 23 Ave, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311

October 6, 2015

WHD News Brief: Tampa, Fla., restaurant denies workers minimum wage and overtime pay [10/06/2015]

Employer name: Wei's Hibachi Buffet LLC, doing business as Hibachi Buffet

Investigation site: 13151 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, Florida 33618

October 6, 2015

WHD News Release: 17 Houlihan's restaurants in New Jersey and New York short workers of tips and wages, US Department of Labor alleges [10/06/2015]

NEWARK, N.J. — Citing "pervasive skimming from employees' tips and wages," the U.S. Department of Labor has sued a Saddle Brook-based company that operates Houlihan's restaurants in New Jersey and New York and their owner for violations of the minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

October 1, 2015

WHD News Brief: US Labor Department investigation finds Kentucky non-profit center fails to pay minimum wage to 119 workers with disabilities [10/01/2015]

Employer name: Southwest Center for the Developmentally Disabled Inc.

Investigation site: 8009 Terry Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40258

September 30, 2015

WHD News Release: US Labor Department alleges New Jersey cleaning company misclassified employees as franchisees, denied workers minimum wage and overtime [09/30/2015]

CLARK, N.J. — What appeared to be a franchise opportunity for professional cleaners in New Jersey turned out to be an employer scheme to circumvent the law, leaving cleaning workers making less than federal minimum wage.

September 28, 2015

WHD News Brief: El Potro Mexican Restaurant in Atlanta to pay 10 employees more than $110K in back wages after US Labor Department investigation [09/28/2015]

Employer name: El Potro Inc.

Investigation site: 3396 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30329

September 22, 2015

WHD News Release: US Labor Department secures nearly $330K in back wages, liquidated damages for employees of restaurants operated by Antico Foods LLC [09/22/2015]

ATLANTA — An Atlanta restauranteur who is alleged to have cheated his workers out of their wages for years and threatened them if they cooperated with federal officials investigating his business conduct, has agreed to pay 60 employees a total of $329,445 in back wages and liquidated damages for violating their wage rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act.