Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
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US Department of Labor initiative targeted toward residential health care industry in Connecticut and Rhode Island to increase FLSA compliance
HARTFORD, Conn. -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division currently is conducting a compliance initiative in the residential health care industry in Connecticut and Rhode Island. This initiative aims to promote compliance with the minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping and child labor provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and to ensure employees are protected and compensated in accordance with the law.
“The Wage and Hour Division’s Hartford District Office, which covers Connecticut and Rhode Island, is currently conducting investigations in the residential health care industry as part of this enforcement initiative,” said Dianne Miller, the office’s director. “Those companies that fail to comply with the law are liable for back wages and may be assessed liquidated damages and civil money penalties. Their employees are entitled to full compensation for all the hours they work.”
Enforcement efforts over the past five years in the health care industry in Connecticut and Rhode Island have resulted in back wage payments of more than $2 million to almost 2,000 employees. Common violations cited during these investigations included failure to pay for all hours of work, to properly calculate the regular rate of pay for overtime and to properly classify salaried employees. 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 Wage and Hour Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet athttp://www.dol.gov/whd.
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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.
