October 18, 2022

US Department of Labor finds California grape grower illegally gave wage, hour preference to H-2A visa holders at expense of US workers

SONOMA, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor recovered $54,935 in lost wages for 14 farmworkers after an investigation found that a California grape grower gave workers employed under the H-2A agricultural worker program more hours and better wages than those provided to U.S. workers, in violation of federal law.

October 17, 2022

Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. recupera $216K para 31 trabajadores luego que fabricante de estibas en Sacramento les negó pago por horas extra

SACRAMENTO – Una investigación del Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. recuperó $216,674 en horas extra no pagadas y compensación por daños para 31 empleados después de que un fabricante de estibas (o paletas de carga) en el área de Sacramento les negara el correspondiente pago por sobretiempo.

October 17, 2022

US Department of Labor recovers $216K for 31 workers after investigation finds Sacramento pallet manufacturer intentionally denied overtime

SACRAMENTO – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has recovered $216,674 in unpaid overtime wages and liquidated damages from a Sacramento-area pallet manufacturer after the employer denied required overtime pay to 31 employees.

October 17, 2022

Federal court enters consent order requiring North Conway restaurant to pay $148K in tips, wages, liquidated damages to 31 employees after Department of Labor investigation

MANCHESTER, NH – A federal court has ordered a North Conway restaurant to pay a total of $148,128 – $74,064 in tips and back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found the employers kept workers’ tips illegally and failed to pay them overtime wages when required by law.

October 12, 2022

US Department of Labor recovers $17K for eight workers after investigation finds Guam federal subcontractor shortchanged workers’ wages, benefits

DEDEDO, GUAM – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $17,164 in back wages from a federal subcontractor who denied full wages and benefits to eight workers providing pest control services at U.S. Air Force and Navy installations on Guam.

October 12, 2022

US Department of Labor recovers $44K in back wages, damages for 2 workers denied overtime by Jackson ground delivery contractor

JACKSON, MS – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $44,280 in back wages and liquidated damages for two employees of a Jackson ground delivery contractor who failed to compensate them for work they did off-the-clock from their homes.

October 12, 2022

Federal court enters consent order requiring two Boston restaurants to pay $210K in back wages, liquidated damages, penalties after Department of Labor investigation

BOSTON – A federal court has ordered two Boston restaurants to pay $195,680 in back wages and liquidated damages after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found the employers willfully failed to pay some employees the minimum wage and overtime compensation the law requires. The department also levied a $14,980 civil money penalty.

October 12, 2022

El Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. recupera $44,000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios para 2 trabajadores a quienes un contratista de envíos a domicilio de Jackson les negó las horas extras

JACKSON, MS - El Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. ha recuperado $44,280 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios para dos empleados de un contratista de envíos a domicilio de Jackson quien no les pagaba por el trabajo que realizaban fuera de horario en sus casas.

October 11, 2022

US Department of Labor recovers $157K in back wages for 65 workers of North Carolina restaurant that kept their tips illegally

GOLDSBORO, NC – A federal investigation has recovered $157,287 in back wages for 65 workers after finding that a Goldsboro-based restaurant’s pay practices denied the workers their full wages by keeping portions of their earned tips.

October 11, 2022

US Department of Labor announces proposed rule on classifying employees, independent contractors; seeks to return to longstanding interpretation

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor will publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Oct. 13 to help employers and workers determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

October 11, 2022

Federal court orders Hyundai, Kia auto parts manufacturer to stop employing minors illegally, end ‘oppressive’ child labor law violations

BIRMINGHAM, AL The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a federal court order to stop an Alexander City manufacturer of Hyundai and Kia auto parts from employing 13-, 14- and 15-year-old workers illegally, and to prevent the company from shipping or delivering any goods produced in violation of federal child labor laws.

October 6, 2022

US Department of Labor investigation, litigation secures $278K in back wages, damages for 208 construction workers denied overtime by Suffolk agency

SUFFOLK, VA – A Suffolk construction staffing agency and its owner who intentionally misclassified workers as independent contractors – a serious form of wage theft – must pay $278,073, in back wages and liquidated damages to 208 construction workers following an investigation and litigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

October 6, 2022

US Department of Labor announces final rule to improve H-2A visa program

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule to amend H-2A temporary labor certification regulations to protect agricultural workers better, and to update the H-2A application and temporary labor certification process. The final rule will be published in the Federal Register on Oct. 12, 2022.

October 5, 2022

Court orders Chesapeake healthcare company that retaliated against workers, obstructed investigation to pay $703K in overtime back wages, damages

CHESAPEAKE, VA – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a default judgment to recover $703,609 in back wages and liquidated damages for 38 employees denied overtime pay by a Chesapeake home healthcare company and its owner who also retaliated against workers for cooperating with federal investigators.

October 4, 2022

Court enters consent order requiring Connecticut, New York-based bakeries to pay $952K to 74 employees following US Labor Department investigation, litigation

HARTFORD, CT – An investigation and litigation by the U.S. Department of Labor have resulted in a federal court ordering three bakeries located in Danbury, Connecticut, and Mount Vernon, New York, and their owner/officer to pay nearly $1 million in back wages and liquidated damages to 74 employees to resolve violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

October 4, 2022

Sonic franchise operator fined nearly $42K after federal investigation finds teens allowed to work beyond legal limits at three Wichita-area locations

NEWTON, KS – For many teens, working at a fast-food restaurant is a first job. For 50 teens – ages 14 and 15 – working at three Sonic drive-in locations near Wichita – that meant being employed in excess of the number of hours allowed by child labor laws and during nighttime hours not permitted by law, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found. 

September 30, 2022

US Department of Labor invites Florida’s highway construction industry employers to join survey to set accurate prevailing wage rates

ATLANTA – The U.S. Department of Labor is asking Florida highway construction industry employers to participate in a survey to help the department’s Wage and Hour Division establish prevailing wage rates, as required by federal law.

September 30, 2022

Chicago restaurant pays $17K in penalties for not complying with Department of Labor subpoena for wage investigation

Date of action:                     Sept. 20, 2022

Type of action:                    Judgement

Names of defendants:     Reza's Tower Inc., also known as Reza Oak Brook Inc.

September 30, 2022

Court enters consent order requiring USPack Logistics to pay $575K to 62 Massachusetts couriers to resolve allegations of independent contractors' misclassification

BOSTON – A courier service that allegedly misclassified drivers as independent contractors at its Shrewsbury location and denied them their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act will pay a total of $575,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to the 62 drivers, and ensure future FLSA compliance at all its U.S. locations under a consent judgment the U.S. Department of Labor has obtained.

September 30, 2022

Un tribunal dicta una orden acordada que requiere que USPack Logistics pague $575,000 a 62 mensajeros de Massachusetts para resolver denuncias de que los clasificó erróneamente como contratistas independientes

BOSTON – Un servicio de mensajería que supuestamente clasificaba erróneamente a los conductores como contratistas independientes en su sucursal de Shrewsbury y les negaba sus derechos según la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo pagará un total de $575,000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios a los 62 conductores y asegurará el cumplimiento futuro de la FLSA en todas sus sucursales en EE. UU.