Employers at car washes have recently come under scrutiny as Department of Labor investigations have continued to turn up Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations. Many of these operators in Los Angeles and New York have already been asked to clean up payroll practices and fined for previous noncompliance, but a recently released University of Illinois report suggests employers in Chicago might also be compensating workers improperly, according to WBEZ-FM.

The study polled employees at 57 car washes and revealed that violations are not few and far between, the source reported. Rather, they were prevalent nearly three-quarters of the time. Chip Mitchell of WBEZ-FM recently interviewed Alison Dickson Quesada, the survey's designer, and learned that these employers were shortchanging workers and the costs can quickly add up.

In Chicago, the minimum wage is set at $8.25, but in many car wash operations, employees were only being paid $6.50 per hour, the study revealed. Mitchell explained that over the course of the year, this translates to more than $4,000.

To prevent future violations, which can result in investigations and penalties, employers can update their payroll processing systems to reflect current wages standards. 

---

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.