An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor resulted in the recovery of $126,162 for 95 home health care workers after an Indiana company failed to pay them for the time they spent driving between clients’ homes. 

According to a July 8 Department of Labor news release, the investigation found SHAS Inc., operating as Sunshine Home Health Care, violated the law when it didn’t pay the employees for the time they spent driving. 

“Health care workers provide skilled nursing and assistance with essential daily living tasks and enable thousands of Americans to remain in the comfort of their own homes,” Patricia Lewis, DOL Wage and Hour district director in Indianapolis, said in the news release. "All too often, we find health care industry employers with systemic violations – like failing to pay for employee's time traveling between jobs accurately – that deprive workers of all their hard-earned wages and benefits."

The Wage and Hour Division conducted an investigation that found Sunshine Home Health Care violated the First Labor Standards Act. The FLSA requires employers maintain records for pay for travel time, according to its regulations for wages, overtime compensation and records, the release reported. 

Lewis said health care companies often are guilty of systemic infractions that ultimately deny workers of wages and benefits they are entitled to receive, according to the release.