PORTLAND, OR – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), West Coast Reforestation Inc. – based in Salem, Oregon – will pay $73,383 to 26 employees for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer will also pay $7,239 in civil penalties for violations of the FLSA’s child labor requirements.

BATON ROUGE, LA – After investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the owners and operators of a family of 11 restaurants with common ownership in Louisiana have paid $230,877 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 141 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping requirements.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced Cheryl Marie Stanton was sworn-in as the Administrator of the Department's Wage and Hour Division.

"I welcome and congratulate Cheryl Stanton as she officially assumes the position of Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "Cheryl brings with her a distinguished career including prior public service as Executive Director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce."

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has issued a new opinion letter that addresses compliance issues related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the Department's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the individual person or entity that requested the letter.

The opinion letter issued today is:

MANCHESTER, NH – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), The Spot LLC – owner of two Burlington, Vermont, restaurants – has paid $55,546 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 91 current and former employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer also paid $2,360 in penalties for child labor violations.

LONGWOOD, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Competitive Edge Group Inc. – operating as Competitive Edge Landscaping and based in Longwood, Florida – will pay $44,280 in back wages to 75 employees for violating the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

DURHAM, NC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), five Subway fast food franchise locations in North Carolina – owned and operated by Mahmoud Alkurdasi and Hala M. Saleh – have paid $13,970 in back wages to 150 employees for violating the minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

LUBBOCK, TX – In a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor, Allegiance Behavioral Health Center of Plainview doing business as Inspirations, a subsidiary of Allegiance Health Management Inc. based in Shreveport, Louisiana, will pay $22,000 in back wages and compensatory and liquidated damages to a former employee for violating the anti-retaliation provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

MANCHESTER, NH – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Nordic Construction Services LLC – based in Berlin, New Hampshire – has paid $38,678 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 45 employees to resolve overtime and record keeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

BOISE, ID – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Any Weather Exteriors LLC – a construction contractor based in Star, Idaho – will pay $51,328 in back wages and liquidated damages to 25 employees for violating the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

SAIPAN, CNMI – The U.S. Department of Labor has secured a $3,360,000 consent judgment against the developer of the Imperial Pacific Resort Hotel and Casino in Garapan, Saipan, for minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by contractors working on the construction project.

FRESNO, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), M&L Plumbing Co. Inc. – a plumbing company based in Fresno, California – will pay $113,351 in back wages due to 39 employees for violating overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act's (FLSA).

HESSMER, LA – To resolve a lawsuit filed with the Department of Labor's Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), Earl Roy Farm of Louisiana LLC – based in Hessmer, Louisiana – has signed consent findings and will pay $71,611 in back wages to 76 employees, and $33,388 in civil money penalties. The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigated the company and found it had violated the labor provisions of the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program.

Specifically, the WHD found that Earl Roy Farm of Louisiana LLC:

BRENTWOOD, CA – J. Carmen Mora – a Northern California farm labor contractor – has paid $143,078 in back wages to 199 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found multiple violations of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA). Additionally, WHD assessed the employer $23,048 in civil penalties.

LAFAYETTE, IN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana has issued a default judgment requiring the operators of the Quality Inn and Suites franchise in Lafayette, Indiana, to pay $16,660 in back wages and liquidated damages to 34 employees. The court judgment came after operators Gursahib S. Sekhon and Mehar Hotels Group of Indiana LLC failed to respond to the complaint or appear in U.S. District Court as ordered.

CHICAGO, IL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has entered a consent judgment ordering the owners and operators of two Illinois restaurants to pay $254,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to 28 current and former employees.

WILMINGTON, DE – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has ordered El Tapatio, Inc. - operator of El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant in Wilmington, Delaware - to pay $128,051 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 20 employees for violating the minimum and overtime wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ATLANTA, GA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Postal Fleet Services Inc. – based in Saint Augustine, Florida – will pay $329,057 in back wages and benefits to 53 employees for violating requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA).

MEMPHIS, TN – McKesson Specialty Distribution LLC – a California-based distributor for a federally funded children's vaccine program – will pay $1,650,452 in back wages and fringe benefits to 515 employees after discovering and self-reporting violations of the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA) to the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD).

APEX, NC – After an investigation by the a U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), La Rancherita Inc. – operating as La Rancherita Mexican Restaurant in Apex, North Carolina – has paid $53,100 in back wages to 18 employees to resolve violations of the overtime, minimum wage, and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).