Labor Department Obtains Nearly $530,000 in Back Pay and Damages for Employees of Baltimore Organization

BALTIMORE — A federal district court has ordered Self Pride Inc. of Baltimore, Md., and its president, executive director and chief executive officer to pay $372,664 in overtime back wages to 392 current and former employees following a trial before U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett. The court also ordered Self-Pride to pay $155,240 in liquidated damages.

"We are committed to protecting workers' overtime rights and ensuring that they are paid all of the wages they have earned," says Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. "With this court victory, we have recovered over half a million dollars for nearly 400 workers."

An investigation conducted by the Baltimore district office of the Wage and Hour Division found that Self Pride and Barbara A. Robinson violated the overtime and record keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by failing to pay employees working as community living assistants proper overtime and not maintaining accurate records of employee hours.

Self-Pride is permanently enjoined from violating the overtime and record-keeping provisions of the FLSA in the future. The non-profit organization currently operates ten assisted living facilities.

The FLSA requires that employers pay workers the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one-half the regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records.

For more information about the FLSA, call the department's toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243). Information is available on the Internet at www.wagehour.dol.gov.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.