An ongoing compliance initiative by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found 77 care workers employed by Seattle-area adult family home providers were shortchanged by $530,418 in wages.
The investigations revealed AssureCare Adult Home LLC, Goldenville Adult Family Home, Woodhaven Adult Family Home, Nashville Adult Family Home, Kirsten Adult Family Home and Elena’s Home Care paid employees a daily flat rate regardless of how many hours they worked, according to a Dec. 6 Department of Labor news release.
“Care workers in these adult family homes provided a lifeline to their clients but their employers failed to respect the dignity of their employees by paying them all of their hard-earned wages,” Seattle Wage and Hour District Director Thomas Silva said, according to the release.
The agency recovered $1,060,836 in back wages and liquidated damages and assessed $30,038 in fines, the release reported.
Silva said the employers ignored federal laws protecting wages and benefits, which made it difficult for employees to care for their families and themselves, the release reported.
“The U.S. Department of Labor is determined to hold industry employers who cheat their workers legally accountable and committed to recovery these workers the wages they’re owed,” Silva added, according to the release.
