Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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DENVER -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has recovered $89,456 in back wages for 267 employees of Arapahoe Utilities and Infrastructure in Denver, Colo., for violations of the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

An investigation by the Wage and Hour Division found the firm, a sewage, freshwater and storm drain pipe contractor, in violation of the FLSA for failing to pay employees overtime for hours worked in excess of 40 per week. The investigation also disclosed that the workers were required to work through unpaid lunch periods. The firm agreed to pay the computed amount of back wages and to future compliance with the FLSA.

“The Department of Labor is committed to enforcing the law and ensuring that employees receive the wages they are owed,” said Alex Salaiz, director of the Wage and Hour Division’s district office in Denver.

The FLSA requires that covered workers be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and one and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked over 40 in a single workweek. Employers must also maintain adequate and accurate records of employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment.

The Wage and Hour Division concluded 31,987 compliance actions and recovered more than $171 million in back wages for more than 246,000 employees in fiscal year 2006. Back-wage collections last year represent a 30 percent increase over back wages collected in fiscal year 2001. The number of workers receiving back wages has increased by 14 percent since fiscal year 2001.

For more information about the FLSA, call the Department of Labor’s toll-free help line at (866) 4US-WAGE (487-9243) or contact the Wage and Hour Division’s district office in Denver at (720) 264-3250. Information is also available on the Internet at www.wagehour.dol.gov.

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