A Miami produce supplier of stores in 10 states shorted workers $71,000 of earned pay
A Homestead company that ships fruit and vegetables to stores from Miami to Palm Beach and 10 states underpaid workers $71,047 by violated overtime and minimum wage laws, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Monday.
That money from Patel Shippers went to 25 workers, an average of $2,841.88 per employee.
Labor said it recovered the money from Patel Shippers after Wage and Hour Division investigators found Patel didn’t pay 25 workers overtime rates even after those workers toiled beyond 40 hours in a workweek. Inaccurate record keeping, investigators found, lead to three workers being underpaid to their hourly pay falling under the federal minimum wage.
Both are violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Patel Shippers was first registered to do business in Florida in 1985 and is run by president Ashish Patel and vice president Ramanbhai Patel, according to state records. The company website says Patel Shippers is an “Indian and oriental vegetable and fruit supplier.”
Labor said Patel sends its produce to stores in Miami, Sunrise and West Palm Beach, as well as stores in New York, California, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, Maryland and New Jersey.
A phone message and a text message from the Miami Herald to Patel Shippers weren’t returned.
“Employers have a legal obligation to pay workers for all the hours that they work. When they fail to do so they may owe back wages and liquidated damages,” Wage and Hour Division Acting District Director Anthony Delgado said. “We remain committed to ensuring essential protections for workers, and to providing clear and confidential compliance assistance to any worker or employer with questions.”
The Wage and Hour complaint section of Labor’s website contains information on if you believe your employer has violated FLSA or other labor laws. Miami’s Wage and Hour Division office can be reached at 305-598-6607. The national helpline is 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).
