GPPC to pay $115K in back wages

GPPC Inc. has agreed to pay $115,619 in minimum wage and overtime back wages to 209 workers on Saipan after the Wage and Hour Division found the Northern Mariana Islands-based general construction company in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

GPPC failed to pay at least a minimum wage of $5.55 per hour and proper overtime premium from Feb. 18, 2012, through Oct. 17, 2013. Workers were deducted 30 minutes from their scheduled shift without actually taking a continuous break for that time. The company mistakenly believed that a small rest period of 15 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon could be deducted from an employee’s daily hours of work. A balance of $4,432 remains unpaid to 13 unallocated workers.

Workers who have not been paid can call (670) 233-0740 for information on how to receive their back wage payment, even if they have already returned to their country of origin. (U.S. Labor)