HOUSTON, TX — A Texas pool builder recently agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor to resolve claims that the company failed to pay proper wages to dozens of current and former workers, including overtime pay. As part of the settlement, Houston-based South bay Gunite Inc will back a combined $115,786 in wages, interest, and damages to 68 employees and resolve claims that the company violated several provisions of federal labor and wage laws.
According to an investigation by the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, South Bay Gunite only paid its workers a flat weekly salary regardless of how many hours the employees put into their work week. As a result, employees were denied their premium overtime wages despite frequently working more than 40 hours in a week. Furthermore, the company failed to comply with federal payroll record-keeping laws that require employers to provide workers with accurate payroll statements detailing all their actual hours worked and wages earned.
“Employers have a responsibility to keep track of the hours their employees work, and to pay workers the wages and overtime they are owed,” said Betty Campbell, Wage and Hour Division Southwest Regional Administrator. “The Department of Labor is committed to proactively educating employers about the requirements of the law, and to providing the tools they need to comply. The Department’s combination of enforcement and compliance activities protect workers and level the playing field for law-abiding employers.”
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), companies must pay their workers one and a half times the individual’s average hourly rate of pay when working more than 40 hours in a week. When employees do not receive all their due pay, the FLSA gives them the legal right to hire a private attorney to file an unpaid overtime lawsuit the company to recover lost wages. The FLSA can help wage theft victims recover up to three years of back overtime, interest on unpaid wages, liquidated damages equal to back pay, and attorneys fees to cover the cost of litigation.
Construction Worker Unpaid Overtime 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.