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Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
Press Releases
U.S. Department of Labor |
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PITTSBURGH -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is currently conducting an enforcement initiative relating to the hotel and motel industry in the western Pennsylvania area. This initiative aims to promote compliance with the minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping and child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and to ensure employees are protected and compensated in accordance with the law.
“The Wage and Hour Division’s Pittsburgh District Office is currently conducting investigations within the hotel and motel industry as part of this enforcement initiative,” said John DuMont, the office’s director. “Companies that do not pay their workers full compensation and otherwise fail to comply with the law are liable for back wages, and may be assessed liquidated damages and civil money penalties.”
Enforcement efforts over the past five years in the Pittsburgh area hotel and motel industry have resulted in back wage payments of more than $223,000 to more than 690 employees. Common violations cited during these investigations include failure to pay for all hours of work, failure to pay the statutory overtime premium, and misclassification of salaried employees as exempt without regard to the salary level or the duties performed. In some cases, minors were found to be employed in violation of the child labor provisions of the FLSA.
The FLSA requires that covered employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage as well as one and one-half times their regular rates of pay for hours worked over 40 per week. Additionally, the law requires that accurate records of employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment be maintained. The federal minimum wage for covered, nonexempt employees is $7.25 per hour.
For more information about the FLSA’s requirements, call the Department of Labor’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at http://www.wagehour.dol.gov.
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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.