News Release
California car wash operator intentionally failed to pay overtime, must pay $62K in back wages, damages to remedy federal violations
WEST COVINA, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered a Colton car wash to pay 15 workers more than $62,000 in back wages and liquidated damages after federal investigators found their employer intentionally failed to pay them overtime, as the Fair Labor Standards Act requires.
Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division found Sparkling Clean Car Wash Inc. flouted its legal obligation to pay workers the overtime pay when they worked over 40 hours in a workweek and instead paid them straight-time rates, regardless of the number of hours worked. They also determined the employer failed to pay one worker up to $393 in minimum wages. The division assessed $8,715 in penalties to Sparking Clean for its willful disregard of the law. In addition, the division cited the employer for failing to maintain complete payroll records, another FLSA violation.
“Car wash industry workers are often low-wage earners and when employers fail to pay these workers for all the hours they work as required by the law, it can be difficult for the workers to attend to their basic needs” said Wage and Hour Division Assistant District Director Rafael Valles in West Covina, California. “The deliberate nature of this employer’s violations are unacceptable, and they have been held maximally accountable for shortchanging their workers.”
For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, contact its toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division.
