June 9, 2014

WHD News Release: Access Therapies to be debarred, ordered to pay $121,400 in penalties and back wages to 6 workers following US Department of Labor investigation [06/09/2014]

CHICAGO — Under terms of a court order, Indianapolis-based Access Therapies Inc. must pay $81,454 in civil money penalties and $39,946 in back wages to six physical therapists for violations of the H-1B provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The H-1B program allows employers to employ foreign workers temporarily in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant basis in specialty occupations. Access Therapies will be debarred from participation in the H-1B program for a one-year period.

June 9, 2014

WHD News Release: Nearly $5M in back wages for approximately 500 workers at federally-assisted project in New York secured by US Labor Department [06/09/2014]

NEW YORK — MDG Design & Construction LLC has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor that resolves wage violations at the federally-assisted Grand Street Guild construction project in New York City's Lower East Side. MDG and other respondents will pay $3.8 million in back wages and fringe benefits to about 200 of MDG's subcontractors' construction workers.

June 3, 2014

WHD News Release: Justiss Oil Co. Inc. pays nearly $620,000 in overtime back wages following a US Department of Labor investigation [06/03/2014]

JENA, La. — Justiss Oil Co. Inc. has paid 270 current and former employees $619,830 in back wages after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime and record-keeping provisions. The investigation found that the company violated the FLSA when it did not pay its workers for the time spent at mandatory staff meetings and failed to record the time spent at these meetings.

May 30, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor to offer compliance seminar on prevailing wage requirements for federal construction and service contracts [05/30/2014]

ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will offer a comprehensive compliance seminar for federal contractors, unions and employees on the rules governing prevailing wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act, McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act and Executive Order 13495 wage rules for nondisplacement of qualified workers.

May 27, 2014

WHD News Release: Arizona utility subcontractor debarred from federally funded projects [05/27/2014]

PHOENIX — The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $198,085 in back wages for 23 workers employed by Glendale-based Tierra Contracting Inc. for willful violations of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. Tierra Contracting and its owner, Richard Juarez Sr., also have been debarred from applying for federally funded contracts for a period of three years because of the egregious nature of the violations found.

May 22, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor files suit against Lombard, Ill., restaurant for more than $145,000 in back wages and damages for 9 workers [05/22/2014]

CHICAGO — The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against Omega Restaurant Ltd. and its owner, James Chiampas, seeking $145,000 in unpaid wages and liquidated damages for nine employees. An investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions at the restaurant.

May 22, 2014

WHD News Release: Contractors on federally funded New York City construction project ordered to pay more than $656,000 to 37 constructions workers [05/22/2014]

NEW YORK — Enviro & Demo Masters Inc. and Gladiators Contracting Corp., along with the companies' owner Jover Naranjo and foreman Luperio Naranjo Sr., have been ordered to pay a total of $656,646 to 37 workers after failing to pay them the required prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits on a federally funded construction project in New York City. Due to the extent and willful nature of the violations, all parties have been ordered to be debarred from seeking and obtaining federal contracts for a three-year period.

May 21, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division to offer free compliance seminar in Danbury, Conn., on June 5, 2014 [05/21/2014]

DANBURY, Conn. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will offer a comprehensive compliance seminar for employers, community rehabilitation programs and other stakeholders on the rules governing the payment of workers with disabilities under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The seminar will be held June 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT at the Western Connecticut State University, Midtown Student Center, 181 White St., Danbury, Conn. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. There is no charge to attend.

May 21, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor investigation finds $55,186 in unpaid wages for 11 workers installing fire protection systems at Kinneary US Courthouse [05/21/2014]

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has determined that McLean, Va.-based The CFP Group Inc. failed to pay $55,186 in prevailing wage rates, fringe benefits, minimum wage and overtime to 11 workers in violation of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act.

May 19, 2014

WHD News Release: Paul Johnson Drywall Inc. agrees to pay $600,000 in back wages, damages and penalties following US Labor Department investigation [05/19/2014]

PHOENIX — As a result of a Wage and Hour investigation, Paul Johnson Drywall Inc. severed its relationship with Arizona Tract LLC., a construction labor contractor. Beginning April 2013, Paul Johnson Drywall entered into a contract with Arizona Tract for the provision of drywall labor. Arizona Tract classified former Paul Johnson Drywall workers as "member/owners" instead of employees, which stripped them of basic worker protections afforded to employees.

May 19, 2014

WHD News Release: Paul Johnson Drywall Inc. agrees to pay $600,000 in back wages, damages and penalties following US Labor Department investigation [05/19/2014]

PHOENIX — As a result of a Wage and Hour investigation, Paul Johnson Drywall Inc. severed its relationship with Arizona Tract LLC., a construction labor contractor. Beginning April 2013, Paul Johnson Drywall entered into a contract with Arizona Tract for the provision of drywall labor. Arizona Tract classified former Paul Johnson Drywall workers as "member/owners" instead of employees, which stripped them of basic worker protections afforded to employees.

May 14, 2014

WHD News Release: Black Bear Burritos LLC to pay $232,295 in back wages to 105 workers following US Department of Labor investigation [05/14/2014]

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Black Bear Burritos LLC will pay a total of $232,295 in back wages to 105 workers employed at two restaurants located in Morgantown. Investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division's Charleston Area Office disclosed minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, including requiring servers to participate in an illegal tip pool, or tip sharing arrangement. When notified of the violations, the company agreed to pay all back wages and to future compliance.

May 13, 2014

WHD News Release: Fairfield, Texas, farm pays more than $122,000 in unpaid wages and penalties following US Department of Labor investigation [05/13/2014]

FAIRFIELD, Texas — Tim Cooper Farm Enterprises LP, doing business as Cooper Farms and Cooper Farms Country Store in Fairfield, has paid more than $122,000 in back wages and civil money penalties following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. The investigation found that the company violated the child labor, minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and provisions of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.

May 13, 2014

WHD News Release: Queens-based, NY, supermarket chain to pay $372,172 in back wages, damages to 18 grocery baggers in Brooklyn and Queens [05/13/2014]

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment against a Glendale — based chain of 17 neighborhood supermarkets and owner Andres Ferreira. The firm, doing business as NSA Supermarket, NSA Golden Mango and Met Food in the New York City area, agreed to pay $372,172 in back wages and liquidated damages to 18 vulnerable workers. These employees worked for less than the minimum wage at stores in Brooklyn and Queens, following an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division.

May 12, 2014

WHD News Release: Lincoln Rehabilitation Center pays nearly $67,000 in unpaid wages to 138 workers following US Department of Labor investigation [05/12/2014]

DECATUR, Ill. — Lincoln Rehabilitation Center has paid 138 employees $66,983 in unpaid wages because of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. The investigation found that the company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to compensate employees for all hours worked, including pre- and post-shift work, and improperly exempted some employees from overtime requirements.

May 8, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor investigation finds Bayonne, NJ, ship repair contractors owe $720,000 in back wages to workers [05/08/2014]

BAYONNE, N.J. — Bayonne Dry Dock and Repair Corp. and Coastwide Material Supply Corp., based in Bayonne, paid $720,000 in unpaid wages and liquidated damages to the U.S. Department of Labor for distribution to 224 workers who worked for the firms at the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne.

May 5, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor investigation finds Hibachi Buffet Inc. of Minneapolis owes more than $117,000 in unpaid wages to 18 workers [05/05/2014]

MINNEAPOLIS — Workers at the Hibachi Buffet Inc. will be paid a total of $117,152 in back wages following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. The investigation revealed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions. Kitchen workers typically worked 60 hours per week for a fixed monthly salary, often earning far less than the legally required minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

April 30, 2014

WHD News Release: Nearly $2M in back wages and penalties sought in US Labor Department lawsuit against Calif. strawberry grower [04/30/2014]

SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking to obtain a judgment against strawberry grower Fernandez Farms Inc., based in Watsonville, Calif., and its president, Gonzalo Fernandez, requiring payment of nearly $1 million in back wages to approximately 400 farm workers for minimum wage and overtime violations.

April 29, 2014

WHD News Release: Edison, NJ, nursery agrees to pay nearly $64,000 in unpaid wages and penalties after US Department of Labor investigation [04/29/2014]

EDISON, N.J. — Plant, tree and shrub firm Barton Nursery Inc. has signed a consent judgment agreeing to pay $27,056 in back wages to 12 nonimmigrant foreign workers hired under the H-2A visa program of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Investigators from the Wage and Hour Division's Southern New Jersey District Office found the Edison-based company failed to pay workers the proper wages and failed to retain adequate and accurate records for three years. The business will pay $36,615 in civil monetary penalties because of the H-2A violations.