July 31, 2014

WHD News Release: US Labor Department finds $616,187 in unpaid wages due to 52 workers hired to transport veterans to Department of Veterans Affairs' medical centers [07/31/2014]

MARION, Ill. — An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has determined that Topeka, Kansas-based Assisted Transportation Inc. failed to pay $616,187 in prevailing wages, fringe benefits and overtime to 52 employees, in violation of the Service Contract Act and Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. The employees provided wheelchair van services to veterans, transporting them between their homes and the Marion and Evansville, Indiana, VA Medical Centers.

July 17, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor to offer compliance seminar on prevailing wage requirements for federal construction and service contracts [07/17/2014]

COLUMBIA, S.C. — 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 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT at the University of South Carolina Thomas Cooper Library, Ernest F. Hollings Library Program Room, 1322 Greene St., Columbia, S.C. 29208.

July 14, 2014

WHD News Release: Darryl Howes Farms ordered to pay back wages to 36 migrant workers to resolve US Department of Labor lawsuit [07/14/2014]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Copemish employer Darryl Howes, doing business as Darryl Howes Farms, signed a consent judgment under which he agreed to pay $11,253 in back wages to 36 migrant workers to resolve a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor. Howes has agreed to implement enhanced record-keeping procedures to ensure the business complies with the record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

July 10, 2014

WHD News Release: More than $1.6M in unpaid overtime for 1,543 workers in the Gulf Coast recovered by US Labor Department [07/10/2014]

HOUMA, La. — B & D Contracting Inc., a labor recruiting and staffing agency that caters to oil field services and maritime fabrication facilities along the Gulf Coast, has agreed to pay $1,660,438 in back wages to 1,543 current and former employees. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor found that the company engaged in improper pay and record-keeping practices that resulted in employees being denied overtime compensation in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

July 10, 2014

WHD News Release: US Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division to offer free compliance seminar on workers with disabilities in Kansas City, Kansas, on July 17, 2014 [07/10/2014]

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — 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 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT at Gateway Tower II Building, 400 State Ave., Room 201, Kansas City, Kansas 66101. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. There is no charge to attend.

July 10, 2014

WHD News Release: More than $1.6M in unpaid overtime for 1,543 workers in the Gulf Coast recovered by US Labor Department [07/10/2014]

HOUMA, La. — B & D Contracting Inc., a labor recruiting and staffing agency that caters to oil field services and maritime fabrication facilities along the Gulf Coast, has agreed to pay $1,660,438 in back wages to 1,543 current and former employees. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor found that the company engaged in improper pay and record-keeping practices that resulted in employees being denied overtime compensation in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

July 9, 2014

WHD News Release: Premier Limousine ordered to pay $500,000 in back wages and damages to 183 underpaid drivers following US Labor Department actions [07/09/2014]

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A judgment entered in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut resolves a lawsuit filed against S.D. Transportation Services LLC, doing business as Premier Limousine, and owner Stephen DiMarco, by the U.S. Department of Labor in March 2012. Premier Limousine, a Berlin company, will pay a total of $500,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to 183 drivers who were denied legally required overtime wages.

July 2, 2014

WHD News Release: Nueces Electrical Co-op pays former employee nearly $47,000 after US Department of Labor finds Family and Medical Leave Act violations [07/02/2014]

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An employee of Nueces Electrical Co-op in Corpus Christi has received $46,920 in back wages and damages after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found the company in violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

June 30, 2014

WHD News Release: New York City restaurant chain to pay nearly $1 million in back wages and damages following a US Department of Labor investigation [06/30/2014]

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ordering the restaurant chain Manna's to pay a total of $956,482 in back wages and liquidated damages to 85 low-wage workers following an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division. The restaurant chain, owned by Betty Park, Kenny H.

June 23, 2014

WHD News Release: Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, to pay $800,000 in minimum wage back wages, liquidated damages following US Labor Department investigation [06/23/2014]

AMARILLO, Texas — Big Texan Steak Ranch has agreed to pay $650,000 in minimum wage back wages and $150,000 in liquidated damages to 279 current and former wait staff following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage and record-keeping provisions. Violations stemmed from an illegal tip pooling arrangement by the restaurant.

June 20, 2014

WHD News Release: Proposed rule to extend Family Medical Leave Act protections to all eligible employees in same-sex marriages announced by US Labor Secretary [06/20/2014]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez announced today a proposed rule extending the protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act to all eligible employees in legal same-sex marriages regardless of where they live. The proposal would help ensure that all families will have the flexibility to deal with serious medical and family situations without fearing the threat of job loss. Secretary Perez is proposing this rule in light of the Supreme Court's decision in United States v.

June 17, 2014

WHD News Release: Dallas area restaurants agree to pay more than $188,000 in back wages following a US Department of Labor investigation [06/17/2014]

DALLAS — Four restaurants in the Dallas area have agreed to pay $188,970 in back wages to 61 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that uncovered violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping provisions. The restaurants are Yes Buffet, Grand Prairie; Crown Buffet and Win Chinese Buffet, Dallas; and Royal Buffet, Rowlett.

June 17, 2014

WHD News Release: Las Trancas Inc. in Vienna, W. Va., to pay more than $365,000 in back wages to 36 workers and more than $15,000 in penalties [06/17/2014]

VIENNA, W. Va. — Las Trancas Inc., doing business as Las Trancas Mexican Cuisine, a full-service restaurant headquartered in Vienna, will pay a total of $365,834 in back wages to 36 workers employed at two establishments in Clarksburg and Marietta, Ohio. Investigations conducted by the U.S.

June 12, 2014

WHD News Release: US Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez announces proposed rule to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers [06/12/2014]

WASHINGTON — Fulfilling President Obama's commitment to make 2014 a year of action to strengthen the economy and grow the middle class, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced a proposed rule raising the minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts to $10.10 per hour. The proposed rule implements Executive Order 13658, which was announced by the president on Feb. 12.

June 11, 2014

WHD News Release: Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority agrees to pay $425,000 in overtime wages found due to 77 employees [06/11/2014]

LAS VEGAS — The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority has agreed to pay $425,000 in overtime back wages found due to 77 current and former employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Investigators found the Las Vegas-based state agency in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime and record-keeping provisions. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority is regulated by the U.S.

June 10, 2014

WHD News Release: Appalachian Oilfield Services agrees to pay $129,802 in overtime back wages to 29 workers at Ohio oil fracking sites [06/10/2014]

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Appalachian Oilfield Services LLC has agreed to pay 25 heavy equipment operators $129,802 in overtime back wages after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found the company was in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. At eastern Ohio drilling locations, the workers provided cleanup services and hauled away muck ejected from wells in the oil fracking process.

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 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 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 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.