WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and Employment and Training Administration (ETA) both published guidance related to the reopening of schools.

HARRISONVILLE, NJ – A judge in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) has ordered a Harrisonville, New Jersey, tomato farm to pay $49,423 in back wages to 62 farmworkers, the majority of which the employer recruited from Mexico as temporary foreign workers on H-2A visas. The judge also ordered the employer to pay $7,634 in civil money penalties.

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Hurricane Wings Management LLC – a restaurant chain based in West Palm Beach, Florida – has paid $115,966 in back wages to 160 employees for minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) at two locations.

WASHINGTON DC – With telework arrangements expanding in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) today issued Field Assistance Bulletin 2020-5 to clarify an employer’s obligation to track the number of hours of compensable work performed by employees who are teleworking or otherwise working away from premises controlled by their employers.

ROSEDALE, VA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Gas Field Services LLC – a pipeline industry contractor based in Rosedale, Virginia – paid $46,786 in back wages to nine employees for violating the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

HIALEAH, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Milum Trucking – a freight shipping and trucking company based in Hialeah, Florida – has paid $3,110 in back wages to two employees for wrongly denying them emergency paid sick leave while they sought medical diagnosis for suspected coronavirus infection. Once their tests returned positive, the employer again denied the two employees’ requests for emergency paid sick leave.

LOXAHATCHEE, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), A Cut Above Landscape & Maintenance Inc. – a landscaping company based in Loxahatchee, Florida – will pay 85 employees $110,602 in back wages for violating overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

LOUISVILLE, KY – The operator of a McDonald’s franchise restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, has paid $1,135 in back wages to an employee after the employer failed to pay an employee for expanded family and medical leave to care for her child when coronavirus led to the closure of their childcare.

LAGRANGE, GA – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Future Furniture Inc. – doing business as Ashley Homestore in LaGrange, Georgia – has paid $1,040 in back wages to an employee after failing to pay two weeks of paid sick leave after the worker was directed by a doctor to self-isolate due to coronavirus-related concerns.

CRYSTAL BEACH, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), High Line Construction Services LLC – a construction contractor based in Crystal Beach, Florida – has paid $16,567 in back wages to five employees for violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

COLUMBUS, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will present a webinar for Ohio area employers and human resources professionals on the paid leave requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and safety guidance for returning to work and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.

HAGATNA, GUAM – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Citi Development & Construction Inc. – a construction contractor in Guam – will pay $141,755 to 57 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime, minimum wage and recordkeeping requirements. The employer also will pay $23,000 in penalties.

HONOLULU, HI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), a branch office of Securitas Security Services USA Inc. – a security services company based in Anaheim, California – has paid $176,810 in back wages to 226 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime and recordkeeping requirements at four Hawaiian airports. The employer has also paid $22,000 in penalties.

APOPKA, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Randall Mechanical Inc., an Apopka, Florida, contractor will pay $16,852 in back wages to 20 employees for violating overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

SAIPAN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Win Win Construction – a Saipan-based residential and commercial construction contractor – will pay $165,807 in back wages to 23 employees to resolve violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime requirements, and pay $15,755 in civil penalties.

LOS ANGELES, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), two California-based contractors for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will pay nearly $2.4 million to 959 employees for violations of the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA).

WEST COVINA, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will offer a webinar on Aug. 13, 2020, on the benefits and protections provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) for employers and employees in Southern California’s Thai communities.

EL PASO, TX – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Texas MEP Contractors LLC – a plumbing contractor based in El Paso, Texas – has paid $804 in back wages to an employee wrongly denied paid sick leave for a qualifying reason covered under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

CHARLOTTE, NC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), a Charlotte, North Carolina, branch of Premier Transportation & Warehousing Inc. – a trucking and warehousing service based in Long Beach, California – has paid $3,116 in back wages after failing to provide an employee two weeks of paid sick leave after the worker received instructions from a healthcare provider to self-quarantine due to coronavirus concerns.