A Georgia auto store operator used to be ordered via a court docket to pay $39,934 in again wages and damages to 9 staff following a lawsuit from the Division of Exertions.
The verdict via the court docket comes after Miles Walker, the landlord of Peachtree Town auto restore store A OK Walker Autoworks, gave former worker Andreas Flaten his ultimate fee in January 2021 within the type of 91,500 oil-covered pennies, consistent with Fox 5 Atlanta.
Flaten contacted the Division of Exertions after Walker refused to present him his ultimate paycheck. After the Salary and Hour Department contacted Walker in regards to the state of affairs, he dumped the pennies in Flaten’s driveway accompanied via a pay stub marked with an expletive. He additionally printed a defamatory observation in regards to the former worker at the corporate’s site.
In January 2022, the Division of Exertions filed a lawsuit towards Walker.
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A Georgia auto store operator used to be ordered via a court docket to pay $39,934 in again wages and damages to 9 staff. (Tim Boyle/Getty Photographs)
Walker used to be discovered to have violated the Truthful Exertions Requirements Act’s time beyond regulation provisions via paying Flaten and different staff straight-time charges for all hours labored, together with when an worker labored greater than 40 hours in a workweek, regardless of an time beyond regulation rate-of-pay being legally required.
The court docket ordered Walker to pay $39,934 to 9 staff for again wages owed and an equivalent quantity in liquidated damages.
“The court docket has despatched a transparent message to employers reminiscent of Miles Walker who topic staff to unfair salary practices and outright intimidation and retaliation. By way of regulation, employee engagement with the U.S. Division of Exertions is a safe task. Staff will have to now not worry harassment or intimidation within the place of work,” Division of Exertions Regional Solicitor in Atlanta Tremelle Howard stated in a observation. “Employers who mistakenly consider they are able to willfully violate hard work rules on the expense of staff and competition should remember the fact that we will be able to do the whole thing inside our rights to carry them to justice.”
The Division of Exertions filed a lawsuit towards the automobile store proprietor in January 2022. (Getty)
The pass judgement on’s order additionally completely prohibits Walker from violating federal minimal salary and time beyond regulation provisions and calls for him to take away all images of and references to Flaten from the corporate site, and he might by no means submit in regards to the former worker once more.
Walker should additionally submit the consent judgment instantly in all conspicuous puts in its facility the place worker notices are in most cases posted and conspicuously show a department reality sheet on prohibiting retaliation underneath the FLSA in its facility.
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The automobile store operator gave his former worker his ultimate fee within the type of 91,500 oil-covered pennies. (Getty)
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“Staff are entitled to procure the wages they earned with out worry of harassment or intimidation,” Salary and Hour Regional Administrator in Atlanta Juan Coria stated in a observation. “The Salary and Hour Department will use all gear to be had to make sure staff’ rights are safe and that employers don’t retaliate towards them once they assert the ones rights. This situation will have to function understand to employers that retaliation might not be tolerated.”
