Detroit Hospital Resolves Overtime and Recordkeeping Violations

DETROIT, MI – Henry Ford Health System has paid $90,004 in back wages to 22 workers in the Detroit hospital’s cardiac sonography department to resolve violations of overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) found by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.

The Division found cardiac sonographers would start work up to 45 minutes prior to their shifts to prepare for the patient workload. Additionally, they frequently worked through lunch hours and breaks to complete time-sensitive patient diagnostic reports before the end of their shifts. FLSA overtime rules were violated when deductions were made for 30-minute meal breaks from workers’ pay when those breaks were not actually taken, and when employees were not paid for work they performed prior to their shifts. This failure to consider all of the employees’ hours of work also resulted in a recordkeeping violation.

Henry Ford Health System, which has paid the back wages, will in the future pay for any pre-shift work and lunch breaks not taken, and maintain accurate records as required.

“The Wage and Hour Division provides education and outreach services to assist companies in fulfilling their legal responsibilities,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Timolin Mitchell. “As this matter underscores, employees must be paid for all work time. If patient scheduling and other patient care duties cause employees to start work before their scheduled shift or to work through a scheduled lunch hour, the employees must be compensated.”

For more information about federal wage laws, call the Wage and Hour Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at http://www.dol.gov/whd.