Julie A. Su Secretary of Labor | Twitter Website
The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the recovery of $92,562 in back wages and damages from Alumatech Furniture Manufacturing Inc., a Florida outdoor furniture manufacturer located in East Bradenton. The investigation revealed that the company had denied overtime pay to its piece-rate and commission-based workers, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to Wage and Hour Division District Director Nicolas Ratmiroff in Tampa, Florida, "The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring workers get every dollar they earned. Employers who choose to pay employees by piece or hour must still pay non-exempt employees the required overtime rate for hours over 40 in a workweek."
This is not the first time Alumatech Furniture Manufacturing Inc. has faced such violations. In a previous investigation, the company failed to pay overtime premiums to piece-rate workers, resulting in the recovery of more than $8,000 in back wages and civil money penalties.
Employers and workers are encouraged to contact the Wage and Hour Division with any questions or concerns at 1-866-4-US-WAGE, regardless of their location. The department can assist callers in over 200 languages and provides resources such as a fact sheet on Fair Labor Standards Act wage laws and an Android timesheet app for tracking hours worked and pay.
The Department of Labor's efforts serve as a reminder to all employers to ensure compliance with labor laws to avoid costly penalties and wage recoveries.
