The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court order to prevent Lifeline Inc., a Maryland-based home care agency, and its owner Rhoda Makinde from retaliating against employees amid an ongoing investigation.
On August 13, 2024, the Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor filed a complaint against Lifeline Inc. and Makinde, alleging they retaliated against workers involved in a Wage and Hour Division investigation into potential Fair Labor Standards Act violations. The complaint further accused the company and its owner of engaging in various forms of retaliatory conduct, including terminating employees, falsifying records, filing a civil action against a former employee, and monitoring employee communications to deter participation in the investigation.
In response to these allegations, the department secured a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on August 19, 2024. This legal action prohibits the employer and owner from:
- Retaliating against employees for asserting their federal rights.
- Interrogating employees about their communications with department officials.
- Requiring employees to sign false or misleading time and pay records or provide false information.
- Communicating with employees about the department’s investigation without clarifying that such communications are not mandatory and cannot be used as grounds for discrimination or retaliation.
Additionally, the court order mandates that Lifeline Inc. and Makinde inform employees of their right to be free from retaliation. They must also notify the department of any future employee terminations along with reasons for those actions.
The case is being handled by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Greenbelt.
“Federal law protects a worker’s right to participate in investigations into a company’s pay practices and prevents employers from retaliating or intimidating those who do,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Nicholas Fiorello in Baltimore.
“We are committed to protecting workers’ rights to participate in Department of Labor investigations to provide information about harmful employment practices,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Samantha Thomas in Philadelphia. “We will use all available litigation tools to prevent and stop retaliation against workers.”
Lifeline Inc. provides home healthcare services in Baltimore and Washington D.C.
The case is titled Su vs. Lifeline Inc. and Rhoda Makinde (Case 8:24-cv-02345-PX).
