US Department of Labor recovers more than $462K in wages, damages for 66 Oklahoma mortuary workers denied overtime by employer

OKLAHOMA CITY – While mortuary workers are called on to provide after-life care for the deceased and compassion for the bereaved, a federal investigation has found the operators of an Oklahoma City mortuary were less than caring when it came to paying dozens of workers overtime wages they rightfully earned.

A U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation has recovered $231,390 in back wages and an equal amount in damages for 66 employees of Stillwell Limited Inc. — operator of Alpha & Omega Mortuary Service and Crematory — after learning the employer paid them straight-time rates for all hours worked, instead of paying time-and-one-half their regular rate-of-pay for hours over 40 in a workweek. A review of company records showed many of the affected workers earned low wages and often worked more than 50 hours per week.

The division determined the employer paid employees on a semi-monthly basis and failed to keep accurate records, as required by federal law.

“By denying their employees all of their hard-earned wages, Alpha and Omega Mortuary Service and Crematory violated the law and harmed the people on whom the company depends to work long hours to provide an important service to the community in return for low wages,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Michael Speer in Oklahoma City. “We are committed to protecting workers and providing clear and confidential compliance assistance to any employee or employer with questions.”

Based in Oklahoma City, Alpha & Omega Mortuary Service and Crematory was incorporated in 2011.

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 and employers can contact the division confidentially at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE (487-9243). The division protects workers regardless of immigration status and can communicate with workers in more than 200 languages.

Download the agency’s new Timesheet App, which is available in English and Spanish for Android and Apple devices, to ensure hours and pay are accurate.