SAN ANTONIO — The United States Department of Labor (DOL) recently filed an unpaid overtime lawsuit in Federal Court in Lubbock, Texas on behalf of workers who may be owed substantial overtime wages and other back pay. Potentially thousands of workers employed for Ashley Furniture from November 2011 to the present may be part of the legal action.
According to reports, many employees could be owed as little as $50 while others may be due thousands in back pay, interest, and other types of damages allowed under federal wage laws. Among the types of workers included in the action are those who worked as warehouse workers, porters, environmental specialists, customer service employees, and commissioned salespeople.
The DOL’s unpaid overtime lawsuit claims the defendant, Han Nara Enterprises, violated key provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by failing to fully compensate workers for their overtime wages when they worked more than 40 hours per week. Specifically, the complaint alleges the defendant altered the workers’ time cards to suppress payroll expenses.
The allegation is a serious one as it substantially increases the time period for which the wage theft victims could recover back wages. Ordinarily, the FLSA limits the statute of limitations in unpaid overtime lawsuit to only two years, but if the defendant is proved to have intentionally violated the act, that time period increases to three years.
Ashley Furniture Unpaid Overtime Lawsuits
This is not the first time employees have accused Ashley Furniture of violating the FLSA and failing to pay overtime wages. In November 2014, the company faced allegations it intentionally misclassified sales associates at two Nevada locations to avoid paying overtime wages.
The lawsuit claimed the practice was not limited to only the two Nevada locations and was actually a nationwide corporate policy. Ashley Furniture has some 300 locations across the country, operated in one way or another by various entities. However, the parent company may be considered a joint employer and therefore subject to liability.
Retail Worker Class Action Lawsuit
Call (855) 754-2795 or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review form on the top right of this page if you feel that your wage rights are being violated under the FLSA. Our top-rated team of unpaid wage lawyers will evaluate your situation to determine your best course of action to help you seek justice.
Our office will also determine if it is in your best interest to file a lawsuit against your employer. Because strict time limitations apply for filing these types of claims, we advise you contact our experienced unpaid overtime wage attorneys at your earliest convenience and preserve your legal rights.