U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Recovers $265,001 in Back Wages For Roofing Contractor’s Employees After Overtime Violations Found

THONOTOSASSA, FL – Orion Builders Service Inc. – based in Thonotosassa, Florida – has paid $265,001 in back wages to 67 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the employer violated overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer also paid $17,753 in civil money penalties for repeat violations.

WHD investigators found the roofing contracting company paid employees a piece rate without regard to the number of hours they actually worked. This practice resulted in violations when employees worked more than 40 hours in a workweek, but the employer failed to pay them overtime in addition to their piece rates. WHD also cited recordkeeping violations when the employer failed to maintain daily and weekly records of the number of hours employees worked.

"Employers are obligated to pay their employees the wages they have legally earned," said Wage and Hour Division District Director Daniel White, in Jacksonville. "Even if employees are paid piece rates, or on salaries, they could be due overtime when they work more than 40 hours in a week. The outcome of this investigation is a good reminder to review pay practices to ensure employees are being paid as the law requires."

WHD provides a wide variety of compliance assistance tools to help employers understand their responsibilities and employees understand their rights.

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