The Department of Labor in Louisiana has successfully recovered $422,484 in back wages and damages for 219 workers employed by home care providers in Baton Rouge, Greensburg, and Shreveport. The workers, employed by five companies - Assisted Hands LLC, Joy PCA Services LLC, Our Grace LLC, Quality Community Homes LLC, and We Care Sitting Services LLC - were found to have been shortchanged due to improper employment practices in the industry.
According to Wage and Hour Division District Director Troy Mouton in New Orleans, the misclassification of employees as independent contractors is a prevalent issue in the home care industry. Mouton stated, "These workers perform critical services and their employers must pay them every cent the law requires. The Department of Labor will continue to demand industry compliance and hold employers who violate the law accountable."
The investigations conducted by the Wage and Hour Division uncovered various violations by the companies, including failure to pay overtime, minimum wage, improper deductions from wages, and other Fair Labor Standards Act violations. The recoveries and citations for each employer are as follows:
- Our Grace LLC: Failure to pay overtime for 94 employees, resulting in a recovery of $241,008.
- Quality Community Homes LLC: Failure to pay overtime and minimum wage for 34 employees, resulting in a recovery of $67,906.
- We Care Sitting Services LLC: Failure to pay overtime for 57 employees, resulting in a recovery of $45,441.
- Assisted Hands LLC: Failure to pay overtime and minimum wage for 28 employees, resulting in a recovery of $43,043.
- Joy PCA Services LLC: Failure to pay overtime for 6 employees, resulting in a recovery of $25,086.
The Department of Labor encourages individuals who suspect they may be owed back wages to utilize the search tool provided by the Wage and Hour Division. Additionally, the division offers support in over 200 languages and can be reached confidentially at 1-866-4-US-WAGE (487-9243).
To ensure accurate hours and pay, the agency has introduced a new Timesheet App available in English and Spanish for Android and Apple devices. This initiative aims to protect the rights of workers and promote fair labor practices in the industry.
