February 21, 2023

Investigation recovers $215K in back wages after finding Jacksonville restaurant chain kept workers’ tips, failed to pay minimum wage, overtime

Employer:                       Kazu Sushi Burrito

Investigation sites:              Kazu Sushi Burrito LLC, 6025 Butler Point Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256

February 21, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $20K for employee illegally terminated by Bank of Dudley’s violations of medical leave protections

DUBLIN, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $20,107 in back wages for a Georgia bank employee who suffered wrongful retaliation and termination after the financial institution violated their rights under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

February 21, 2023

Court orders Illinois home healthcare provider to pay $1.1M in back wages, damages to 69 employees, after US Department of Labor investigation

URBANA, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a federal court order requiring an Illinois home healthcare provider to pay 69 workers $1.1 million in back wages and damages for its failure to pay these workers for all hours worked.

February 17, 2023

Investigación descubre a más de 100 niños empleados ilegalmente en trabajos peligrosos; contratista de higiene alimentaria paga $1.5 millones en multas

KIELER, WI – Uno de los proveedores de servicios de higiene y seguridad alimentaria más grandes del país ha pagado $1.5 millones en multas luego de que la División de Horas y Salarios del Departamento de Trabajo de los EE.UU. descubrió que la empresa empleó al menos a 102 niños de entre 13 y 17 años de edad en ocupaciones peligrosas y trabajando en turnos de noche en 13 instalaciones de procesamiento de carne en ocho estados.

February 17, 2023

Jacksonville trampoline park pays $43K in civil penalties for violating child labor laws after US Department of Labor investigation

Employer:      Urban Air Jacksonville LLC, operating as Urban Air Trampoline Park at Southside

                        9950 Southside Blvd.

                        Jacksonville, FL 32256

February 17, 2023

More than 100 children illegally employed in hazardous jobs, federal investigation finds; food sanitation contractor pays $1.5M in penalties

KIELER, WI – One of the nation’s largest food safety sanitation services providers has paid $1.5 million in civil money penalties after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the company employed at least 102 children – from 13 to 17 years of age – in hazardous occupations and had them working overnight shifts at 13 meat processing facilities in eight states.

February 17, 2023

US Labor Department recovers $305K for 80 workers after employer failed to pay correct wage rates on federal contract at Kingsport Army site

Employer:                                          BAE Systems Inc., operating as Ordnance Systems Inc.

February 17, 2023

Court orders Aliquippa home care provider to pay $285K in back wages, damages to 23 workers after Department of Labor investigation, litigation

ALIQUIPPA, PA As the nation today recognizes the selfless and dedicated work of professional caregivers on National Caregivers Day, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that a federal court has entered a default judgment against an Aliquippa home health provider and its owner, after an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found the employer denied 23 home health aides overtime wages.

February 16, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $139K in back wages for 28 drivers after Florida motor carrier misapplied exemption, denied overtime

Employer:   Juarez M&M Construction Inc., operating as Juarez Construction

Investigation site:  1859 Constitution Drive, Navarre, FL 32566

February 16, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers more than $159K in back wages for 147 employees after Florida produce packer denies overtime

Employer:     Ark Foods Group Inc., operating as Ark Foods

Investigation sites:  855 County Road, Immokalee, FL 34142

                                  1050 Canaan Road, Roebuck, SC 29376

February 16, 2023

Judge affirms Department of Labor findings that Georgia nursery favored 29 foreign workers over US workers; provided unsafe housing

ATLANTA – An administrative law judge has entered a consent order following a U.S. Department of Labor investigation that determined a wholesale plant nursery in Miami gave foreign visa workers preferential treatment over U.S. workers, and housed workers in unsafe and unhealthy conditions in Greensboro, Georgia.

February 16, 2023

Department of Labor recovers more than $98K in back wages, damages for 137 employees of Florida electrical contractor who denied proper overtime

Employer:                               Tri-City Electrical Contractors Inc.

Investigation sites:                430 West Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL, 32714 (Headquarters)

February 15, 2023

Department of Labor recovers $380K in back wages, damages for 126 workers after 2 North Carolina home care employers fail to pay proper overtime

Employers:                            Gentle Shepherd Care LLC

                                                8604 Cliff Cameron Drive, Suite 144

February 15, 2023

Slim Chickens’ franchisee failed to correct illegal child labor practices in Avon, months after knowing of same violations at Streetsboro location

AVON, OH – Despite being warned in September 2021 that the hours worked by 14- and 15-year-old employees at its Slim Chickens’ franchise in Streetsboro violated federal law, the owner continued the illegal practices for several months at a second location in Avon, the U.S. Department of Labor has found.

February 14, 2023

Una planta procesadora de carne de Lancaster puso en peligro a los menores al permitirles realizar tareas peligrosas, trabajar más de lo que permite la ley

LANCASTER, KY Una planta procesadora de carne de Lancaster permitió a ocho empleados menores de edad trabajar fuera de las horas permitidas por el gobierno federal y realizar trabajos peligrosos, según descubrió una investigación federal.

February 14, 2023

Marble Slab Creamery franchisee in Panama City Beach kept workers’ tips illegally, investigation recovers $169K in back wages, damages for 144 workers

Employer:       Marble Slab Creamery of Pier Park Inc., operating as Marble Slab Creamery

Investigation site:    600 Pier Park, Suite 120, Panama City Beach, FL 32413

February 14, 2023

US Department of Labor sues Michigan healthcare facility over alleged retaliation against workers amid wage investigation

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The opening of a federal investigation into the pay practices of a Haslett assisted living facility in the fall of 2021 prompted its owner to threaten employees with termination if they spoke with investigators and trick them into admitting whether or not they had cooperated with the investigation, a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit filed on Feb. 3, 2023, alleges.   

February 14, 2023

Lancaster meat processing plant endangered minors by allowing them to perform hazardous tasks, work more than the law permits

LANCASTER, KY A Lancaster meat processing plant allowed eight minor-aged employees to work outside of federally allowed hours and engage in hazardous work, a federal investigation has found.

February 14, 2023

Ohio restaurant owner forced servers to return wages, keep only tips plus $10 per week, US Department of Labor investigation finds

WAUSEON, OH – The operator of Wauseon restaurant forced servers – who worked an average of 60 hours a week – to cash paychecks and then pay their wages back to him in cash, allowing the workers to keep just the tips they earned plus $20 in each two-week pay period, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found.

February 13, 2023

Department of Labor recovers $38K in back wages for 55 workers after Goldsboro non-profit failed to meet standards to allow subminimum wages

RALEIGH, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $38,891 in back wages for 55 adult employees with developmental disabilities after finding their Goldsboro non-profit employer had not renewed their federal certification to pay them subminimum wages but continued to do so.