The Department of Labor has demanded that a Pennsylvania home care agency and its owner pay $1 million in unpaid wages.
The company in question, WiCare Home Care Agency LLC, received summary judgment for unpaid wages and damages to 193 employees.
On July 31, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania ordered the Lebanon-based care company and its owner, Luis Hernandez, to pay $529,770 in unpaid wages and an equal amount in damages.
Pennsylvania care provider to pay $1 million in unpaid wages
“The Department of Labor will use all available tools, including litigation if necessary, to send a clear message to employers who willfully deny employees full payment of their hard-earned wages,” Labor Counsel Seema Nanda said in a statement. “Ignoring federal regulations that protect workers’ rights is a huge mistake that comes with a huge price.”
The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Office found that WiCare did not pay mandatory overtime pay to employees who worked more than 40 hours a week, and the investigation also found that employees were not always paid in full for the hours they worked, with some employees earning less than $7.25 an hour.
Investigators also found that WiCare Home Care Agency LLC’s record-keeping violated minimum requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
“Workers in the long-term care industry support the people who rely on them for services that are essential to their quality of life, and they deserve to be fully compensated for their hard work and dedication,” explained Wage and Hour Commissioner Jessica Luhman. “Wage violations are all too common in the health care industry, and we are determined to root out violators and hold them accountable for the financial harm they cause employees.”
In related news, the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) has filed an injunction against a bar owner in Little Rock, Arkansas, for violating several federal laws.
The bar in question, Benton Tavern, and its owner, Tim Stepach, violated child labor laws, stole staff tips, and fired employees who grew tired of the daily abuse.
“Our investigation uncovered numerous violations by Tim’s Tavern and Tim Stepach, and we are using every enforcement tool available to protect our employees and hold this employer fully accountable,” said Betty Campbell, Southwest Wage and Hour District Administrator.
As we have reported, the Department of Labor has a zero-tolerance policy toward the illegal employment and abuse of children.
Image: Pixlr.
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