Louisiana seafood company to pay $214,000 for FLSA violations
C.J.'s Seafood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was recently ordered to pay workers $214,000 in back wages and penalties for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime and recordkeeping provisions. As a result of an investigation by the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, 73 workers will receive $76,608 in back wages.
The seafood company, which boiled and peeled seafood, was a crawfish supplier for Wal-Mart. However, the discount retail giant suspended the company following news of the violations.
The employer will also have to pay $32,120 in penalties for overtime and $35,000 for violations of the H-2B program. The H-2 guest worker program enables employers to bring on temporary nonimmigrant workers under the condition that they abide by applicable labor rights.
"This employer took illegal advantage of the H-2B program, which put it in a position to undercut its competition that plays by the rules," said Nancy Leppink, deputy administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. "American workers seeking jobs should not be compelled to accept substandard wages and working conditions due to employers' abuse of temporary foreign worker visa programs."
If employers are not properly paying workers for all of their employee attendance, they could similarly be targeted by the Department of Labor and subject to fines. A solution as simple as a timeclock can help businesses keep practices in compliance.
The seafood company, which boiled and peeled seafood, was a crawfish supplier for Wal-Mart. However, the discount retail giant suspended the company following news of the violations.
The employer will also have to pay $32,120 in penalties for overtime and $35,000 for violations of the H-2B program. The H-2 guest worker program enables employers to bring on temporary nonimmigrant workers under the condition that they abide by applicable labor rights.
"This employer took illegal advantage of the H-2B program, which put it in a position to undercut its competition that plays by the rules," said Nancy Leppink, deputy administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. "American workers seeking jobs should not be compelled to accept substandard wages and working conditions due to employers' abuse of temporary foreign worker visa programs."
If employers are not properly paying workers for all of their employee attendance, they could similarly be targeted by the Department of Labor and subject to fines. A solution as simple as a timeclock can help businesses keep practices in compliance.
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