Casper, Wyoming-based Mount Rushmore Broadcasting is making waves, but not for its excellent entertainment. Following an investigation by the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, the company's owner Jan Charles Gray was slapped with a lawsuit that aims to collect a total of $79,445 in back pay for six employees in addition to an equal amount in damages.

According to the suit, employees of Mount Rushmore Broadcasting did not receive the wages they should have earned for their time and attendance. In fact, Cynthia Watson, regional administrator for the Wage and Hour Division's Southwest Office, said that some staff members worked as many as 88 hours in a standard workweek and did not receive additional compensation for overtime.

Because the employer paid workers fixed salaries regardless of their total hours worked, their pay sometimes dipped below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Gray told the Casper-Star Tribune that the allegations are a strike against small businesses.

Companies of any size can avoid expensive violations and embarrassing lawsuits by using a payroll processing system to accurately track all hours worked and set up alerts when individuals are nearing or have surpassed allowable overtime totals.

---

All data and information provided on this news blog is for informational purposes only. Infinisource makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Information regarding employment suits and other legal action is not updated after publication, and may not be current.