Fort Wayne auto emissions manufacturer will pay $101K in back wages, damages to 260 workers for shortchanging them overtime

Employer:      Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies USA Inc.

                             Fort Wayne, Indiana

Actions:          Fair Labor Standards Act investigation

Findings:        Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies USA Inc., operating as Faurecia Clean Mobility, agreed to pay a total of $101,527 to 260 employees – representing $50,563 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – for shortchanging workers overtime wages. 

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found from the company violated federal law by failing to the following:

• Include hourly shift differentials into employees’ regular rate of pay when calculating overtime. 
• Maintain accurate payroll records to reflect the correct overtime pay for non-exempt employees.
• Display any federal labor posters.

Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies USA Inc. is a vehicle exhaust systems manufacturer that produces combustion engines and emissions control systems. 

Quotes: “When employers calculate an employee’s hourly rate for the purposes of overtime, they must include shift differentials and non-discretionary bonuses into that calculation,” said Wage and Hour District Director Aaron Loomis in Indianapolis. “Employers or workers with questions on how to accurately calculate wages due should contact the Wage and Hour Division for compliance assistance.”

Background: Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including the Workers Owed Wages search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division and how to file an online complaint. For confidential compliance assistance, employees and employers can call the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243), regardless of where they are from.

The division offers multiple compliance assistance resources, including the EMPLEO alliance a, collaboration of community and nongovernmental organizations, including state, local, and federal agencies and Hispanic consulates that provides information and assistance to Spanish-speaking employees and employers regarding workplace rights and responsibilities. Workers and employers can reach EMPLEO by calling (877) 522-9832 or (877) 55-AYUDA.

Download the agency’s new Timesheet App for iOS and Android devices – also available in Spanish –to ensure hours and pay are accurate.