The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $195,960 in back wages and damages for 22 home care workers employed by JG Adult Family Home LLC in Auburn, Washington. The recovery follows an investigation by the Department's Wage and Hour Division, which found that the employer did not pay caregivers overtime rates for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Instead, employees were paid a daily rate regardless of hours worked. Additionally, some employees were denied the required federal minimum wage.
The investigation resulted in the recovery of $97,980 in overtime and minimum wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages. Civil money penalties totaling $5,831 were also assessed due to the willful nature of the violations.
“Workers in adult family homes provide care to some of our communities’ most vulnerable people,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Thomas Silva in Seattle. “JG Adult Family Home ignored federal laws that protect workers’ wages and benefits. This employer deliberately made it harder for their employees to care for themselves and their families.”
In fiscal year 2023, the Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $31.8 million in back wages for workers in the healthcare industry nationwide. Workers can use the division’s Workers Owed Wages search tool to determine if they are owed back wages collected by the division.
Employers and workers can contact the Wage and Hour Division at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE, for assistance. Additional resources include information about wage protections for care workers, compliance assistance toolkits for restaurants, and an overview of FLSA protections for restaurant workers. The department also offers a free Timesheet App available on Android and iOS platforms to help ensure accurate tracking of hours worked and pay.
