US Department of Labor recovers $163K in back wages, damages after investigation finds California restaurant willfully violated overtime rules SACRAMENTO – While workers at a northern California restaurant worked hard to satisfy customers and keep the business operating throughout the pandemic, their employer intentionally failed to pay overtime wages when required, leading to costly consequences for the restaurant’s owner.

A U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation found Lido Bar & Grill, in Carmichael, failed to record all hours employees worked and failed to pay overtime as required by federal law. They either paid the cooks a salary with no overtime when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek or paid overtime hours in cash at straight-time rates.

The investigation led to the division’s recovery of $81,577 in overtime back wages and $81,577 in liquidated damages for seven workers. The division also assessed $4,067 in civil penalties against the employer to address the willful nature of their violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

“Restaurant workers provide essential services for the public and support their local economies. Paying workers a salary does not relieve employers of their overtime pay obligations when employees work more than 40 hours in a week,” said Wage and Hour Division Assistant District Director Patricia Canites in Sacramento, California. “Overtime pay violations are all too common in the restaurant industry, and the U.S. Department of Labor is committed to using all tools available – including litigation – against employers who violate the law willfully, hurt workers and their families, and take an unlawful advantage of their competitors that abide by the law.”

Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions – regardless of their immigration status – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages

For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, contact its toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division.

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Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. recupera $163,000 para empleados por violaciones laborales intencionales por parte de restaurante de California SACRAMENTO – Mientras que trabajadores de un restaurant al Norte de California trabajaban duro para satisfacer a los clientes y ayudar al negocio a seguir adelante durante la pandemia, su empleador intencionalmente no les pagaba los salarios requeridos por sobretiempo, lo que ha llegado a tener costosas consecuencias para los propietarios del negocio.  

Una investigación de la División de Horas y Salarios  del Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. encontró que Lido Bar & Grill, en Carmichael, no registró todas las horas que trabajaron sus empleados y tampoco les pago las horas extra tal y como requieren las leyes federales de trabajo. O bien pagaban a los cocineros un salario sin incluir las horas extra cuando trabajaban más de 40 horas a la semana o les pagaban esas horas extra en efectivo y en base a tarifas regulares por hora.

La investigación llevó a la división a recuperar $81,577 en salarios atrasados por sobretiempo y $81,577 en compensación por daños para siete trabajadores. La división también multó al empleador con $4,067 debido a la naturaleza intencional de las violaciones cometidas bajo la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo.

“Los trabajadores de restaurants provén servicios esenciales para el público y apoyan las economías locales. Pagar a trabajadores un salario no elimina a los empleadores su obligación del pago de horas extra cuando los empleados trabajan más de 40 horas a la semana”, dijo la directora distrital asistente de la Division de Horas y Salarios en Sacramento, California. “Las violaciones al pago por sobretiempo son muy comunes en el sector de restaurantes, y el Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. está comprometido a usar todas las herramientas disponibles – incluido el litigio en corte – contra empleadores que violan la ley intencionalmente, dañan a trabajadores y sus familias, y tratan de ganar una ventaja competitiva ilegal sobre sus competidores que cumplen las leyes”.

Los trabajadores pueden llamar confidencialmente a la División de Horas y Salarios con preguntas – sin importar su estatus migratorio – y el departamento puede hablar a los que llamen en más de 200 idiomas.

Para más información sobre la FLSA y otras leyes de cumplimiento de la división, contacte a la línea de ayuda gratuita al 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Sepa más sobre la División de Horas y Salarios, incluyendo una herramienta de búsqueda si piensa que se le deben salarios recuperados por la división.

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US Department of Labor announces new partners to support initiative to deliver employment services to transitioning service members, spouses WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its Veterans’ Employment and Training Service has signed a memorandum of understanding with nine organizations that have agreed to serve as partners to support VETS’ Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot.

The Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot provides one-on-one career assistance to transitioning service members, and their spouses, at select military installations worldwide. The support complements the department’s Transition Assistance Program’s classroom instruction.

Partner organizations’ support will include apprenticeship opportunities, hiring events, digital matching of skills and experiences, employment mentorship and networking with organizations committed to employing veterans, employment referrals and placement, workforce training, and wrap around services within communities for additional support services. VETS selected organizations experienced in providing employment and training services to transitioning service members and their spouses.

The approved partners are American Corporate Partners in New York City; Combined Arms in Houston; Helmets to Hardhats in Washington, DC; Hire Heroes USA in Alpharetta, Georgia; zero8hundred in San Diego; LinkedIn in Sunnyvale, California; RecruitMilitary in Loveland, Ohio; VeteransASCEND in Simpsonville, South Carolina; and VetJobs in Lake St. Louis, Missouri.

Employment Navigators are located at U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force installations in the U.S. and overseas to provide one-on-one employment assistance to transitioning service members, and their spouses. Based on an individual’s needs, Employment Navigators connect them with partner organizations for additional employment services to aid their transition.

If your organization is interested in becoming an Employment Navigator partner, send an email to TAPPartnerships@dol.gov.
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/vets/vets2021

Court affirms US Department of Labor’s independent authority to recover unpaid wages, damages in court for employees who signed private arbitration agreements NEW YORK – A federal judge in New York has ruled private arbitration agreements do not bind the Secretary when the U.S. Secretary of Labor is not a party. The decision now allows the U.S. Department of Labor to move forward with its lawsuit alleging that three defendants misclassified their employees as independent contractors to evade the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The department filed suit in the Eastern District of New York in January 2021 against Brooklyn-based CE Security LLC, Concord Limousine 1 LLC and Alexander Gavrilov seeking to recover back wages and liquidated damages for 292 of the defendants’ employees, as well as enjoin the defendants’ violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The suit followed an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division.

In its complaint, the department alleges that collectively, the defendants provide employees known as spotholders to Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. to hold open parking spots for ConEd to perform its work. The spotholders drive to ConEd worksites and place cones at the utility’s worksites.

On Feb. 17, 2021, the defendants moved to compel arbitration of the Secretary’s claims under the Federal Arbitration Act and to stay proceedings pending the arbitration. The defendants argued that the act requires the Secretary to arbitrate the overtime and recordkeeping claims because the employees – whom the defendants claim to be independent contractors – had signed agreements to arbitrate employment matters with the defendants.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Ann M. Donnelly rejects the defendants’ theory that the Secretary merely “acts on behalf” of defendants’ employees in FLSA matters brought by the Secretary, noting the Secretary’s independent interests in prosecuting cases.

“This is a significant and favorable decision regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s ability to pursue legal actions and relief for employees in the name of the public interest,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Jeffrey Rogoff in New York. “The Office of the Solicitor of Labor prioritizes its pursuit of cases where employees do not have other avenues of relief when they are forced to arbitrate claims against their employers out of court. This decision affirms the Secretary of Labor’s independent authority to bring claims as the Secretary deems appropriate, even where employees may not because of forced arbitration agreements.”

The Wage and Hour Division’s New York City District Office conducted the original investigation. Trial Attorney David Rutenberg of the Regional Office of the Solicitor in New York is litigating the case for the department.

Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions – regardless of their immigration status – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages.

For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, contact the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division.

Secretary of Labor v. CE Security LLC, Concord Limousine 1 LLC, and Alexander Gavrilov.

Civil Action Number:  21-CV-00057 (AMD) (RLM)
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/sol/sol202109

US Department of Labor investigations find three South Carolina marinas violated federal child labor provisions COLUMBIA, SC – The operators of three South Carolina marinas found themselves afoul of the Fair Labor Standards Act recently after U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigations uncovered child labor and overtime violations.

The division found FLSA violations at Crazy Sister Inc., operating as Crazy Sister Marina in Murrells Inlet; Osprey Marina LLC, operating as Osprey Marina in Myrtle Beach; and Whitewater Marine LLC, operating as Freedom Boat Club in Bluffton, Port Royal Marina in Port Royal, and Skull Creek Marina and Palmetto Bay Marina in Hilton Head. All three employers violated work hour standards by allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to work more hours than the law permits.

In addition, Osprey Marina and Crazy Sister Marina allowed minor employees to work as deck hands, in violation of federal law that prohibits 14- and 15-year-old workers from jobs involving transporting people or property by water or other means. Osprey Marina also allowed a minor to operate a power-driven golf cart, a lawn mower and a weed eater, in violation of prohibited occupation provisions. To address the child labor violations, the department assessed civil money penalties in the amount of $1,382 to Freedom Boat Club, $4,117 to Osprey Marina and $2,571 to Crazy Sister Marina.

In addition, Freedom Boat Club and Osprey Marina paid some workers straight time for all the hours they worked, a violation of the FLSA overtime requirement that employees be paid overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Freedom Boat Club also failed to pay one worker for two weeks of emergency paid sick leave, in violation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. To resolve these issues, Freedom Boat Club paid $2,570 in back wages to six employees, while Osprey Marina paid $1,208 in back wages to five workers.

“Particularly as the school year begins, employers of 14- and 15-year-olds must know the child labor rules concerning the hours these minors can legally work. At all times, employers must ensure that minors are not employed in prohibited occupations,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel in Columbia, South Carolina. “Child labor restrictions in the law are designed to ensure that young workers enjoy a safe experience on the job, and make certain employment does not interfere with education. The U.S. Department of Labor encourages employers and employees at recreational establishments to contact us if they have questions about child labor rules.”

For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, contact the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division. 
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/whd/whd202109