A broadcasting company is in hot water after allegedly failing to pay certain employees minimum wage and proper overtime, according to a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) press release.
The DOL has filed a lawsuit against the company and its owner, alleging that six employees are due $79,445 in unpaid overtime and minimum wages, plus an equal amount in liquidated damages.
The lawsuit seeks to recover the full amount of back wages and liquidated damages.
“In this case, employees worked up to 88 hours in a workweek without receiving minimum wage or overtime compensation,” said Cynthia Watson, regional administrator for the Wage and Hour Division in the Southwest. “This is unacceptable and illegal. This lawsuit should send a clear message that the department will use every enforcement tool necessary, including litigation, to ensure that employees are paid what they have rightfully earned, and to maintain a level playing field for diligent, law-abiding employers.”
The investigation found that employees were paid fixed salaries without regard to the number of hours worked or to the overtime compensation required for hours worked beyond 40 per workweek. In some cases, monthly salaries allegedly failed to compensate employees at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The company also failed to maintain records required by the FLSA.