US Department of Labor recovers more than $120K in back wages, damages after 2 South Carolina plumbing employers deny overtime to workers

Employers:    

Hill Plumbing & Electric Co. Inc., operating as Hill Plumbing & Air, 438 North Main St., Sumter, SC 29150

Love Plumbing Electrical and Air LLC, 1336 Methodist Park Road, West Columbia, SC 29170

Investigation findings: U.S. Department of Labor investigators found two South Carolina plumbing companies failed to pay some employees the applicable overtime rates owed to them for hours over 40 in a workweek, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Specifically, investigators found the following:

• Hill Plumbing & Air failed to include pre- and post-shift hours worked, on-call pay and non-discretionary incentive bonuses in the regular rate for overtime purposes.
• Love Plumbing and Air failed to include commissions in the regular rate when computing the half-time premium due in overtime workweeks. 

Back wages recovered:                     

Hill Plumbing & Air: $59,111 for 25 workers

Love Plumbing and Air: $2,323 for 10 employees

Liquidated damages recovered:       $59,111 with Hill Plumbing & Air

Quote: “The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to making sure all workers are paid every dollar they earned,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel in Columbia, South Carolina. “Several recent investigations have found violations in the residential construction industry. We encourage employers to contact the Wage and Hour Division with questions to ensure they are in legal compliance. The alternative, paying back wages after the fact, can be a costly lesson.”

Background: Employers and workers alike can contact the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE – regardless of where they are from – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages. Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a fact sheet on Fair Labor Standards Act wage laws overtime requirements. Workers and employers can help track hours worked and pay by downloading the department’s Android or Apple device timesheet app for free, which is available in English and Spanish.