US Department of Labor debars Geismar plumbing contractor from work on federal contracts for egregious violations of wage, benefits laws

Employer name:                     Morales Plumbing LLC

Investigation site:                  Meadows at Nicholson Family Apartments

                                                         11777 Nicholson Drive

                                                         Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Findings: The U.S. Department of Labor has debarred Morales Plumbing LLC from future government contracts after the department’s Wage and Hour Division found egregious violations of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. Investigators found Morales Plumbing of Geismar failed to pay prevailing wage rates, fringe benefits and all hours worked as required. The employer paid some plumbers a daily flat rate without regard to the number of hours worked and with no additional fringe benefits for work and failed to keep accurate payroll records. Morales Plumbing LLC was employed as a contractor on a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development project in Baton Rouge.

Back wages recovered:         $32,835 for three plumbers and one laborer.

Quote: “Our investigation found substantial prevailing wage and fringe benefit violations by Morales Plumbing LLC,” said Wage and Hour District Director Troy Mouton in New Orleans. “The U.S. Department of Labor takes aggravated or willful violations of the laws it enforces very seriously. Due to the nature and severity of the violations found, this employer has lost the opportunity to participate in government contracting for at least three years.”