PHOENIX, AZ – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, California-based discount retailer 99 Cents Only Stores LLC will pay $273,254 to 125 employees in 39 of its Arizona stores for wage and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ATLANTA, GA – To ensure compliance with federal wage laws, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is undertaking an initiative in Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina to strengthen compliance with the labor provisions of the H-2A and H-2B temporary visa programs.

BOSTON, MA – The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has entered a consent judgment requiring Kyoto Restaurant of Medford LLC and owner Phong Nguyen to pay a total of $15,000 in lost wages and punitive and liquidated damages to a former employee who, the U.S. Department of Labor charged, was terminated for cooperating with a Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation in 2016 and 2017.

RICHMOND, VA – In keeping with its mission to protect the American workforce, the U.S. Department of Labor will hold a seminar on Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in Richmond on May 16. Hosted by the Department’s Wage and Hour Division, the event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 8 a.m. at the Federal Office Building on 400 N. 8^th St. Admission is free.

CONCORD, NH – The U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire has sentenced Kevin Corriveau, owner and operator of Kevin Corriveau Painting Inc. of Nashua, to six months imprisonment; two years of supervised release, post-imprisonment; and a $25,000 criminal fine for one count of obstruction of justice.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – In a summary judgment, following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the U.S. District Court in Western Michigan has found the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital interfered with an employee’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitlements and retaliated against him for taking protected leave. U.S. District Judge Paul L.

LANSDOWNE, PA – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has ordered Central Laundry Inc., owner George Rengepes and business operator Jimmy Rengepes to pay $239,269 in back wages, and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 21 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD).

WEST COVINA, CA – United States Auto Club Inc. (USAC), a Texas-based emergency roadside assistance provider for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), will pay $649,996 to 29 employees for violations of federal contract provisions of the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA) following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD). WHD determined that USAC owes the employees $377,512 in unpaid prevailing wages and $165,116 in required health and welfare benefits.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – IT employer Cloudwick Technologies Inc., based in Newark, California, will pay $173,044 to 12 employees for violations of the federal H-1B foreign labor certification program after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD).

LEACHVILLE, AR – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Arkansas staff sourcing company Wallace, Rush, Schmidt Inc. (WRS) has paid $708,922 to settle overtime, minimum wage, and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

CLARKSTON, MI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Summit Properties & Development Co. Inc., based in Clarkston, Michigan, will pay a total of $137,237 in back wages and liquidated damages to 17 employees.

WHD investigators determined the general contractor misclassified some employees as independent contractors, and failed to pay them overtime when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek.

DUNN, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has debarred Worldwide Staffing LLC from applying for H-2A certifications for three years following violations of the visa program’s requirements and a failure to pay back wages owed to employees. The company failed to reimburse employees for their inbound travel expenses from their home countries, as the law requires, and owed $58,458 in back wages to 200 employees. WHD assessed the staffing company a civil penalty of $17,309 because of the violations.

PHOENIX, AZ – After a June 2017 U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found 69 Mexican guest workers living in a life-threatening housing encampment at an El Mirage farm, the U.S. District Court of Arizona in Phoenix has entered judgments against a grower and its recruiting agents for violations of the H-2A guest worker program.

ALLEN PARK, MI – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, Michigan-based automotive tire and service retail chain Belle Tire has agreed to pay $342,926 in back wages to 1,207 employees at 100 locations in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – An education and enforcement initiative conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has recovered $2,079,596 in back wages and liquidated damages for 87 attendants working at 25 southern New Jersey gas stations since January 2017. This payment resolves violations found during a series of investigations by the WHD.

GUAYNABO, PR – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) continues to investigate wage issues on St. Croix and St. Thomas and provide compliance assistance related to recovery efforts following Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

WILKES-BARRE, PA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the owners of a chain of Pennsylvania bar and grill restaurants have paid $750,007 in back wages and liquidated damages. In a settlement agreement with the Department, Arooga’s Grille House and Sports Bar agreed to pay current and former servers, cooks, and assistant kitchen managers in York, Camp Hill, Lower Paxton, Mechanicsburg, Hanover and Harrisburg for minimum wages and overtime not paid to them over a 30-month period.

FLAGSTAFF, AZ – Major League Painting Inc. will pay $242,618 in back wages and liquidated damages to 70 employees for violations of the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD).

CHICAGO, IL – Consistent with its mission to protect the American workforce, the U.S. Department of Labor has revoked Rock River Valley Self Help Enterprises, Inc.’s certificate under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) after finding nearly 250 workers with disabilities were being exploited.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) urges heavy construction employers in 10 metropolitan Utah counties to participate in a wage survey to help establish prevailing wage rates as required under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. 

WHD is collecting data on wages paid to workers on all heavy construction projects active from Aug. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2017. The survey is not limited to federally funded projects.