Department of Labor recovers $73K in back wages, damages from Hawaii food wholesaler who denied overtime pay to 11 warehouse employees

Employer:      Family Food Co. Inc.

                        1043 Opakapaka St.

                        Kapolei, HI 96707

Investigation findings: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigators found Family Food Co. failed to pay 11 warehouse workers at least time and one-half for hours over 40 in a workweek, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Investigators determined the employer illegally gave workers the option to either clock in overtime hours worked or to accept cash payments to avoid paying taxes on those earnings. The employer also violated FLSA recordkeeping requirements by keeping inaccurate time and payroll records.

Back Wages Recovered:       $36,685 in unpaid overtime wages for 11 employees

                                                $36,685 in damages for 11 employees

                                                $8,877 in penalties for the reckless disregard of the law

Quote: “Employers cannot reduce their labor costs by entering into illegal agreements with workers that undermine federally mandated wage standards,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Terence Trotter in Honolulu. “Overtime worked should be overtime paid.”

Background: Family Food Co. wholesales imported bulk goods and repackages them for sale to food retailers across Hawaii.

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.

Help ensure hours worked and pay are accurate by downloading the department’s Android and iOS Timesheet App for free, also available in Spanish.