Trucking company to pay 45 drivers nearly $79K in back wages after US Labor Department investigation

Employer name: Concrete Supply Co. Inc.

Investigation site: 155 Greencastle Road, Tyrone, Georgia 30290

Investigation findings: Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Atlanta District Office, found that Concrete Supply Co. violated the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Specifically, the employer misapplied an overtime exemption meant for interstate truck drivers, driver’s helpers, loaders or mechanics, and improperly categorized its dump truck drivers as exempt, denying them overtime compensation when they worked over 40 hours in a workweek. The employer also failed to maintain required time and payroll records.

Concrete Supply hauls sand, stone, topsoil, construction and bulk materials within Georgia’s state lines.

Resolution: Concrete Supply will comply with the FLSA and pay 45 workers $78,938 in back wages.

Quote: “Concrete Supply denied its workers their hard-earned wages, impacting their ability to meet their financial obligations,” said Eric Williams, the Wage and Hour Division’s district director in Atlanta. “This case is a reminder to all employers to ensure their payroll practices comply with the law. If employers have concerns or are unsure of their obligations under the law, they should contact the division for assistance.”

The FLSA requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also are required to maintain accurate time and payroll records and to comply with the hours worked requirements. For more information about the FLSA and wage laws or to file a complaint, call the Wage and Hour Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243), the Atlanta District Office at 678-237-0521, or visit http://www.dol.gov/whd/.