Pennsylvania Tree Service Company Pays $86,608 in Back Wages, Damages To Resolve Violations Following U.S. Department of Labor Investigation

BRIDGEVILLE, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has reached an agreement with Sidelines Tree Service LLC – based in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania – to resolve violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Sidelines Tree Service LLC has paid $43,304 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 69 employees and pledged future compliance with the FLSA.

WHD investigators found that the company paid employees straight-time rates for their overtime hours instead of paying them time-and-one-half for those hours as required by the FLSA. The company also failed to keep required records of the number of hours worked by one misclassified salaried employee, and failed to display the "Employee Rights" FLSA poster.

"The resolution of this case puts these wages into the hands of the people who rightfully earned them," said John DuMont, Wage and Hour District Director in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "We hope that other employers take this as an opportunity to examine their own payroll practices to ensure they're in compliance. We encourage all employers to use the many tools the U.S. Department of Labor provides to help them understand their obligations and to comply with the law."

Employers who discover overtime or minimum wage violations may self-report and resolve those violations without litigation through the PAID program. For more information about the FLSA and other federal wage laws, call the Division's toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information also is available at http://www.dol.gov/whd.