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Wecco in Guam to pay more than $79,000 in back wages
YIGO, Guam-Yigo-based World Electric & Construction Co. Inc., known as Wecco, has agreed to pay $79,138 in back wages to 12 workers following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division that found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions.
“These employees now will receive proper wages for all hours worked,” said Terence Trotter, district director of the Wage and Hour Division in Honolulu, Hawaii, which has jurisdiction over Guam. “Other employers should take note and ensure that they are paying their employees in compliance with the FLSA.”
An investigation by the division’s Honolulu District Office found that the employer failed to pay the employees at least the minimum wage during their initial period of employment. Instead, the employer provided only a $10 per day meal allowance, with no additional wages, for several weeks, during which the employees worked 30-40 hours. Also, the employer failed to pay an overtime premium for hours worked beyond 40 hours in a week and did not maintain an accurate record of employees’ hours worked.
The FLSA requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates, including commissions, bonuses and incentive pay, for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Additionally, the law requires that accurate records of employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment be maintained.
For more information about the FLSA and other federal wage laws, call the Wage and Hour Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243) or its Honolulu office at 808-541-1361. Information also is available at http://www.dol.gov/whd. (USDOL)
