Texas landscaping company Turf Specialties has agreed to pay 70 workers $106,818 following an investigation by the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which revealed minimum wage and overtime violations. Due to the company's payroll policies, landscaper workers were receiving far below $7.25 per hour. Investigators found they were paid a salary on a bi-weekly basis, but when those earnings were broken down, their hourly wages were less than half of the federal minimum wage.

On top of the minimum wage violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Turf Specialities was making illegal deductions from employees' paychecks to cover the costs of uniforms and broken or damaged equipment.

"Workers in the landscaping industry are among the most vulnerable in the workforce," said Cynthia Watson, regional administrator of the Wage and Hour Division in the Southwest.

Employers in landscaping fast-growing industry must be careful when establishing payroll practices and issuing paychecks, so employees aren't shortchanged. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are 1.2 million workers who perform grounds work in the United States, and this sector is staged to grow 20 percent between 2010 and 2020. To prepare for these gains while still maintaining control over payroll records, employers can use a mobile timeclock to track employee attendance on multiple job sites. 

---

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.