Florida A/C repair company didn’t pay workers $36,000 in earned wages, feds announce
A Fort Myers air conditioning repair company paid $36,123 in back pay and liquidated damages after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, the federal agency announced.
That money went to 23 employees of Sunset Air & Home Services, an average of $1,570 per employee.
Labor said a Wage and Hour Division investigation found that Sunset violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) when it didn’t include commissions and stipends when figuring the overtime pay for on-call dispatchers. Sunset also somehow didn’t keep accurate time records for the dispatchers’ work.
A message from the Miami Herald left for Sunset president Jason Schreyer hasn’t been returned.
“When employers pay commissions, differentials, certain bonuses, stipends or other incentives, they must include them in calculation of overtime pay,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Nicolas Ratmiroff in Tampa. “We see this violation frequently. We encourage all employers and especially those who offer various types of incentive pay, to review federal requirements regarding overtime.
“Additionally, those who pay workers on a piece-rate, day rate, or on commission must maintain an accurate record of hours worked. These requirements cannot be waived by employees or employers.”
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.
