US Department of Labor recovers $169K in back wages, damages from Honolulu HVAC employer that denied overtime pay to 15 workers

Employer:      Heide & Cook LLC

                            1714 Kanakanui St.

Honolulu, HI 96819                                                                                                     

Investigation findings: An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the HVAC services company denied overtime wages for 15 employees, a violation of the workers’ rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Investigators determined that Heide & Cook knowingly violated the law by paying regular, straight-time rates for some overtime hours. Given the reckless nature of the violations, the division assessed the employer with $5,000 in civil money penalties.

Back Wages Recovered:     $84,540 in overtime back wages for 15 employees

                                                        $84,540 in liquidated damages for 15 employees

Quote: “Employers are legally responsible for counting and paying employees for all hours worked, including time-and-a-half pay for all hours over 40 in a workweek,” said Wage and Hour District Director Terence Trotter in Honolulu. “Employers who recklessly fail to pay overtime will learn those violations have costly consequences, namely an additional amount in liquidated damages equal to the wages owed.”