US Department of Labor recovers more than $1M in back wages from South Carolina federal contractor for 43 workers

GOOSE CREEK, SC – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $1,091,515 in back wages for 43 employees of a Goose Creek federal contractor that paid them rates lower than required by federal law.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division learned that – after acquiring Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc. – KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC changed the title of quality control inspectors used by the original contract holder from supply technicians to technical instructors. While the employees still performed the same work as quality control inspectors, the employer paid them rates lower than the required prevailing wage rate, violating the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act. The practice also resulted in the company paying overtime at a lower rate than required, a violation of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. 

“Contractors must follow requirements specified for work performed under federal contracts to make certain they pay employees the correct wages for the type of work they do,” explained Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel in Columbia, South Carolina. “Workers on federal contracts perform critical work for our country. We enforce prevailing wage laws to ensure that the workers who help our country run receive their full, hard-earned wages.” 

KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC assumed the federal contract awarded to Honeywell Technology Solutions for logistical support by the U.S. Army. The company is a subsidiary of KBR, the Houston-based science, technology and engineering company, which employs about 35,000 people worldwide in more than 80 countries with operations in over 30 countries. 

Employers can contact the Wage and Hour Division at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE. Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including numerous online resources for employers, such as a website for frequently asked questions about the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. 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. Workers and employers can help ensure hours worked and pay are accurate by downloading the department’s Android or iPhone Timesheet App for free in English and Spanish.