In Nampa, Idaho, a landscape contractor for new residential construction has paid $176,207 in back wages s to 91 employees for violations of federal overtime laws. The Department of Labor's investigation found that the firm paid workers who performed general landscaping tasks straight time for all hours worked. The company believed its employees were exempt from the overtime requirement under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) agricultural exemption. However, the workers were not engaged in agriculture according to the regulations, and the exemption was not applicable.

In Seattle, a golf course has been assessed $9,350 in civil money penalties for violations of the youth employment provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An investigation by the Wage and Hour Division found that a 17-year-old cook was injured while operating a meat slicer, a violation of one of the hazardous occupations orders issued under federal regulations. While attempting to wipe cheese from the slicer, the minor cut three fingers. The law restricts 16- and 17-year-olds from working in occupations that are too dangerous for minors. For example, jobs that require operating paper balers, meat slicers, dough mixers and wood working machines, as well as most driving jobs, are designated as too dangerous for workers under age 18.

Also in Seattle, an operator of four restaurants will pay 47 of its employees a total of $174,700 in back wages for failure to pay the required overtime compensation and minimum wage required under federal law. An investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division found that the employer failed to pay overtime compensation to cooks, servers, hostesses and hourly bartenders. Additionally, many employees were paid in cash, and off the payroll at a rate of $20 per day, which is less than the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour.

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Further information:
www.dol.gov/esa/.../2004166.xml
www.dol.gov/esa/.../2004162.xml
www.dol.gov/esa/.../2004161.xml