OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma has ordered Meers Store & Restaurant Inc. and owner Margaret Maranto to pay $335,687 in back wages and liquidated damages to 84 employees for willful violations of the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

PHOENIX, AZ – Following a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona has ordered Synergy Commercial Service LLC and owner Eduardo Bernal to pay $351,869 in back wages and liquidated damages to 136 employees for minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The court also ordered the Gilbert-based janitorial company to pay $33,000 in civil money penalties.

BOSTON, MA – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Onyx Marble & Granite LLC and owners Jose Moraes and Poliana Moraes will pay a total of $144,199 in back wages and liquidated damages to 20 employees to resolve violations of the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

SAN DIEGO, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will offer a comprehensive compliance seminar for federal contractors, unions, and employees to provide information on the rules governing federal prevailing wage requirements, wage rules for non-displacement of qualified workers, establishing a minimum wage for contractors, and establishing paid sick leave for federal contractors.

MEMPHIS, TN – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, JPO Contractors Inc. will pay $90,904 in back wages and liquidated damages to 43 employees for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). WHD also assessed the contractor a civil penalty of $19,737 for willful and repeat violations.

SACRAMENTO, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), residential care home operator of two Sacramento area facilities Golden Berry Inc. will pay $46,295 to six employees to resolve minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

HOUSTON TX – Bernie’s Bellaire LLC and Bernie’s Katy LLC - doing business as Bernie’s Burger Bus - will pay $62,754 to settle overtime and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD). The companies operate three locations in the Houston area.

SPANISH FORK, UT – The U.S. District Court for the District of Utah has ordered Kyco Services LLC and its owner Kyle Morris to pay $550,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to 267 employees for willfully violating the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The court also ordered the drywall company to pay $100,000 in civil money penalties.

STANTONSBURG, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has revoked the farm labor contractor certificate of registration for Marisa Garcia-Pineda and has debarred the contractor for three years because of violations of federal laws related to wages and worker protections. WHD found that Garcia-Pineda owed $195,735 in back wages to 287 employees while working at Ham Farms in Snow Hill, North Carolina. In addition to the farm labor registration revocation and H-2A debarment, WHD also assessed the company a civil money penalty of $321,400.

KINGSPORT, TN – Kingsport, Tennessee, automobile dealership Rick Hill Imports Inc. has paid $58,739 in back wages to 20 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the company violated minimum wage and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WINTER GARDEN, FL – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, JJB Food Corp. has paid $15,264 in back wages to 13 employees for violating minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). WHD also assessed the Winter Garden, Florida, grocery store a civil penalty of $1,308 for child labor violations.

HARTFORD, CT – An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has resulted in the payment of $125,348 in back wages to 14 employees of Gilliam Co. LLC who performed hangar renovation work in Massachusetts, at the U.S. Coast Guard Base in Bourne and at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield.

ELIZABETH CITY, NC – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation,  Huntsville, Alabama, aviation maintenance company Y-Tech Services Inc. will pay $95,000 in back wages to 12 employees for failure to pay prevailing wage rates required for work performed under a federal contract for the U.S. Coast Guard in Elizabeth City.

PHOENIX, AZ – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, California-based discount retailer 99 Cents Only Stores LLC will pay $273,254 to 125 employees in 39 of its Arizona stores for wage and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

RALEIGH, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has debarred the Lake Placid, Florida, company Vasquez Citrus & Hauling Inc. and Juan Vasquez, an H-2A farm labor contractor, from applying for H-2A certification for a period of three years for violations of the program’s provisions. WHD also issued the company a civil money penalty of $15,153.

ATLANTA, GA – To ensure compliance with federal wage laws, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is undertaking an initiative in Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina to strengthen compliance with the labor provisions of the H-2A and H-2B temporary visa programs.

BOSTON, MA – The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has entered a consent judgment requiring Kyoto Restaurant of Medford LLC and owner Phong Nguyen to pay a total of $15,000 in lost wages and punitive and liquidated damages to a former employee who, the U.S. Department of Labor charged, was terminated for cooperating with a Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation in 2016 and 2017.

RICHMOND, VA – In keeping with its mission to protect the American workforce, the U.S. Department of Labor will hold a seminar on Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in Richmond on May 16. Hosted by the Department’s Wage and Hour Division, the event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 8 a.m. at the Federal Office Building on 400 N. 8^th St. Admission is free.

CONCORD, NH – The U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire has sentenced Kevin Corriveau, owner and operator of Kevin Corriveau Painting Inc. of Nashua, to six months imprisonment; two years of supervised release, post-imprisonment; and a $25,000 criminal fine for one count of obstruction of justice.

LANSDOWNE, PA – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has ordered Central Laundry Inc., owner George Rengepes and business operator Jimmy Rengepes to pay $239,269 in back wages, and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 21 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD).