Tampa healthcare benefits management company shorted workers $105,000 in pay, feds say
A Tampa healthcare benefits management company paid $105,200 in earned back wages after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, the federal agency announced.
That money went to 92 employees of HealthPlan Services, $1,143.48 per employee.
Labor said a Wage and Hour Division investigation found that HealthPlan didn’t pay workers for time getting into their computers and software before shifts began. Also, they didn’t include bonuses in the figuring of overtime pay, another Fair Labor Standards Act violation.
“Failure to count and properly pay for pre-shift work is a common violation of federal labor laws,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Nicolas Ratmiroff said. “These unpaid minutes add up and can lead to minimum wage or overtime violations. The law requires that workers to be paid every cent they are due for the work they perform.”
HealthPlan Services, bought from Water Street Healthcare Partners by Wipro Limited in 2016, did not return a message from the Miami Herald.
The Wage and Hour complaint section of Labor’s website contains information on how to file a complaint if you believe your employer has violated FLSA. Miami’s Wage and Hour Division office can be reached at 305-598-6607. The national helpline is 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). No matter a worker’s immigration or citizenship status, he or she can speak with the department, which says it can handle calls in more than 200 languages.
