U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in Residential Home Care Company Paying $213,461 to 26 Employees

SEATTLE, WA – Ecos Homecare Inc., owners of three Washington State residential home-care facilities, will pay $213,461 to 26 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found overtime and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WHD investigators found that Ecos Homecare Inc.’s facilities in Brier, Edmonds, and Shoreline failed to pay employees overtime when they worked more than 40 hours in a week. Instead, the employer paid workers flat rates per day, without regard to the number of hours they had actually worked. This practice also resulted in recordkeeping violations under the FLSA when the employer failed to record the actual number of hours employees worked.

“We encourage all employers to review their pay practices and to contact the Wage and Hour Division for assistance. Doing so helps to ensure that all employees are paid the wages they have legally earned and that employers operate on a level playing field,” said Jeanette Aranda, Wage and Hour Division District Director in Seattle.

For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division, contact the Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at www.dol.gov/whd including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by WHD.