Maine flooring contractor paying $52K in back wages to 42 underpaid employees

Employer name: Paul G. White Tile Co., 444 Riverside Industrial Park, Portland, Maine 04107

Investigation findings: An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that the company, which advertises itself as the leading flooring contractor in Maine and one of the largest in New England, underpaid 42 employees a total of $52,000.

The company required employees who worked as floor installers to report to the company warehouse at the beginning and end of each workday and then travel to and from worksites, some distant, in company vehicles. While most of the worksites were in Maine, some were two or more hours away. The employer did not compensate these employees for that travel time as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Resolution: Paul G. White Tile Co. is paying $52,000 in back wages to the 42 employees and has agreed to comply with the FLSA in the future.

Quote: "We want construction employers to take note of this case and what it means for them. It's important that they know and follow the law when it comes to compensating employees for travel time. This is a common wage violation in this industry but one that employers can prevent by educating themselves about the laws that apply to their businesses and adhering to them," said Daniel Cronin, the Wage and Hour Division district director for northern New England.

Information: Travel time for workers is not compensable in all cases. However, where an employee is required to report at a meeting place to receive instructions or to perform other work there, or to pick up and to carry tools, the travel from the designated place to the work place is part of the day's work, and must be counted as hours worked regardless of contract, custom, or practice. For more information about federal wage laws administered by the Wage and Hour Division, call the agency's toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243) or its Manchester District Office at 603- 666-7716. Information also is available at http://www.dol.gov/whd/.