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Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
Press Releases
U.S. Department of Labor |
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SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Department of Labor announced the issuance of a preliminary injunction against a Westminster garment manufacturer for violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act minimum wage and overtime provisions. The manufacturer produces goods for national retailers, including Ross Stores Inc. and Forever 21.
The preliminary injunction, issued by the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, prevents Laundry Room Clothing Inc., owner Milton Kaneda and principal Sharon Kaneda from shipping goods that were produced by their employees because they failed to pay them the required minimum wage and overtime for all hours worked beyond 40 per week.
“We have taken this action because this manufacturer has repeatedly and knowingly failed to properly pay its workers,” said George Friday, Jr., regional administrator of the Wage and Hour Division’s West Region. “We hope this sends a strong message to the garment industry that we stand by the law and the workers it protects, and we will pursue legal action if necessary to ensure compliance with the law.”
The employer has paid $99,480 in back wages owed to 53 employees for work performed between Feb. 16 and March 31, 2010.
Investigators previously found that the employers had failed to pay all wages owed to employees at the Westminster factory from March to October 2009 and again from December 2009 to January 2010. The department is pursuing further actions including seeking additional unpaid wages, seeking damages and assessing penalties.
The FLSA requires that covered employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay, including commissions, bonuses and incentive pay, for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records. The FLSA also prohibits the shipment of goods in interstate commerce which were produced in violation of the minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor, or special minimum wage provisions.
The case was investigated by the Wage and Hour Division’s Orange County Area Office. The Labor Department’s Regional Office of the Solicitor in San Francisco represented the Secretary of Labor in the case. For more information about the FLSA, call the Wage and Hour’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at www.dol.gov/whd.
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