US Department of Labor recovers $845K in back wages after investigation finds Northern California roofing, solar panel contractor denied overtime

VACAVILLE, CA – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found that – despite their hard work and long hours – a Northern California roofing and solar panel contractor denied 385 workers overtime wages by paying them on a piece-rate basis regardless of how many hours they worked.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division found JAJ Roofing – operating as Citadel Roofing & Solar in Vacaville – violated the Fair Labor Standards Act when it failed to pay installers overtime pay when they worked more than 40 per week, as the law requires. Investigators determined employees who were paid piece-rate wages worked an average of 47 hours per week, though company payroll records showed only 40 per week.

As a result of the investigation, the division recovered $845,090 in unpaid overtime wages for 385 workers. Due to the willful nature of the violations, the division also assessed $319,550 in civil money penalties against Citadel Roofing & Solar – the second highest amount of civil money penalties ever assessed by Wage and Hour’s Western region.

“The willful disregard of the law by Citadel Roofing & Solar hurt hundreds of workers and made it harder for these workers and their families to make ends meet. The company is now facing the costly consequences of their actions,” said Wage and Hour Division Acting Administrator Jessica Looman. “These installers work hard and are exposed to the elements throughout their workday. They deserve our respect and every dollar they are legally due. Employers who fail to record hours of work accurately to avoid paying overtime will be held accountable.”

Based in Vacaville, Citadel Roofing & Solar designs, installs, maintains and repairs roofs, solar energy systems and energy storage systems, and serves residential and commercial customers in Northern, Central and Southern California. It has service locations in Sacramento, Davis, Santa Rosa, Fresno and Santa Clarita.

Compliance in the construction industry is a priority for the division.  Since January the Wage and Hour Division concluded over 2150 investigations in the construction industry, finding nearly $32 million in back wages for over 17,300 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. Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions – regardless of their immigration status – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages.