POULAN, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has debarred Reyes Quality Berry Farm LLC – based in Poulan, Georgia – from applying for certification to request temporary foreign workers under the H-2A agricultural worker visa program for three years. WHD also assessed the employer a $61,265 civil penalty for violating the labor provisions of the H-2A program, and found that the employer owed $47,675 in back wages to 32 employees.

DETROIT, MI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), two Michigan-based contractors – Resurrection Carpentry LLC and The Drywall King LLC – working on a federally funded project in Detroit, Michigan, will pay 36 current and former employees a total of $101,711, for failing to pay the required prevailing wages and fringe benefits to construction employees.

PORTLAND, OR – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), two subcontractors – ODP Systems and Timber Tech Framing – working on an apartment complex in Eugene, Oregon, will pay a collective $123,832 to 38 employees after investigators found numerous prevailing wage, overtime and illegal deductions violations,

KANSAS CITY, MO – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Plate Restaurant – based in Kansas City, Missouri – has paid 31 employees $42,534 in back wages after it was unable to make payroll, a violation of the Fair labor Standards Act (FLSA).

HIGHLAND PARK, MI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the City of Highland Park, Michigan, has paid $49,181 in back wages to four current employees for violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). WHD also assessed the city $1,368 in penalties because of the repeat nature of the violations.

CLARKSVILLE, TN – An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has led the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to issue a consent order against a Clarksville, Tennessee-based employer for violating overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer will also pay a civil money penalty for a child labor violation.

SAVANNAH, GA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Krishna Grocery – a grocery chain with stores in the southeastern U.S. – has paid $54,935 in back wages and liquidated damages to three employees for violating minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

RINEYVILLE, KY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Administrative Law Judges has signed an agreement between the department and E.C. Construction Inc. in which the company will pay $24,755 in civil penalties for its violations of H-2B visa program labor provisions. As a result of a Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, the Rineyville, Kentucky-based stonemason contractor will also pay four employees $76,803 in back wages.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Ludington of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan again upheld the back wage computations resulting from a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation and ordered Timberline South LLC, and its manager Jim Payne, to pay $878,874 in back wages and liquidated damages to 50 employees for violations of the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

NEW TAZEWELL, TN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Homesteader LLC – a trailer manufacturer based in New Tazewell, Tennessee – will pay $134,799 in back wages to 408 employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

COLUMBUS, OH – After a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Yard Solutions – based in Groveport, Ohio – will pay $18,469 in back wages to 12 employees to resolve violations of the labor provisions of the H-2B guest worker visa program, under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

FORT WAYNE, IN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), General Motors Co. (GM) has paid $12,265 in back wages to an employee of its Fort Wayne, Indiana, assembly plant who received disciplinary suspensions for absences allowed by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

SURFSIDE BEACH, SC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Coastal Collision & Glass Inc. – an automotive body repair shop based in Surfside Beach, South Carolina – has paid $21,874 in back wages and liquidated damages to six employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

KADOKA, SD – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, Strehlow Bees Inc. has paid $404,827 in back wages to 36 employees – from the United States, South Africa and Nicaragua – for violating multiple conditions of the H-2A visa program for temporary agricultural workers. The Kadoka, South Dakota, company has also paid $61,940 in civil money penalties, assessed by the Department.

ATLANTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will offer two joint webinars on June 10, 2020, to educate employers and employees in the Southeast on the paid sick leave, and expanded family and medical leave benefits available under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and whistleblower protections.

WHITE PLAINS, MD – A Maryland electrical contractor has reinstated an employee after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found the employer denied paid sick leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

CHICAGO, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in Chicago, is joining with the IRS and the U.S. Small Business Administration to discuss paid sick leave requirements, tax relief and other coronavirus-related information critical for employers and business owners during a webinar on June 12, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to noon, CDT.

WEST POINT, GA – A West Point, Georgia, custom machine and fabrication company has paid $1,060 to an employee after the U.S. Department of Labor determined the employer wrongly denied emergency paid sick leave for a qualifying reason covered under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

WEST COVINA, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor will offer a webinar on June 9, 2020, – in Spanish – for garment industry employees and employers in Southern California on the impacts of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

DES MOINES, IA – BAH Brazilian Steakhouse has paid 14 employees $3,059 in back wages after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found the Des Moines, Iowa, restaurant failed to pay employees for the last payroll period worked prior to the restaurant’s closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.