An investigation by the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division determined countertop-installation company Granite Masters in Suwanne, Ga., violated the overtime requirements Fair Labor Standards Act. According to a news release, the company will pay $105,020 in back wages and liquidated damages to 36 employees.
Investigators found the company misclassified employees as independent contractors. The practice resulted in Granite Masters paying straight-time rates to overtime-eligible laborers when they worked more than 40 hours in a week. The Wage and Hour Division also found recordkeeping violations where Granite Masters failed to maintain records of the number of hours employees worked. The agency learned of the employer's practices through its Employment Education and Outreach (EMPLEO) alliance, a community of nongovernmental organizations, agencies, and Hispanic consulates that provides information and assistance to Spanish-speaking employees and employers regarding their workplace rights and responsibilities.
"Collaboration with community organizations and other federal agencies through our Employment Education and Outreach alliance helps us ensure employees know their rights and receive the wages that they are lawfully owed," Wage and Hour Division Atlanta district director Eric Williams said.
