Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Department of Labor, together with the California Department of Industrial Relations/Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), today distributed $724,600 in back wages to nearly 450 former workers of a now-closed Los Angeles garment manufacturer.

"The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that workers are paid correctly for all hours worked, and we are pleased that $724,600 in back wages has been recovered for these workers," said Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao. "Through the Department's determined efforts, more than $212 million in back wages were recovered for American workers last year."

The distribution of these funds resulted from an investigation by the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division and California DLSE, which found that employees of MiAngels, a Los Angeles garment manufacturer producing athletic wear and other clothing, had not received complete pay checks for a number of weeks. Also, many employees worked six and seven days per week and were not paid overtime. Last week, the state and federal labor agencies notified workers that they should appear in person to verify their identity and their work hours. Nearly 450 of the 472 former workers who were due back wages registered on July 28 to pick up their checks today for back pay.

The missed paydays and unpaid overtime are violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which requires that employees be paid in a timely manner, receive at least the federal minimum wage and are paid one-and-one-half times their regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 per week.

Last year, the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $212 million in back wages - a 21 percent increase over the previous year.

The Wage and Hour Division and DLSE are partners with the Mexican Consulate and five Central American consulates in the new EMPLEO alliance to educate workers and employers on workplace rights and responsibilities. The EMPLEO toll-free help line (1-877-552-9832), established by the alliance, was instrumental in collecting information that assisted in the investigation. The alliance includes several federal and state agencies; local business and community organizations; the Consulates of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica; and the Diocese of San Bernardino.

For more information about the FLSA, call the Wage and Hour office in West Covina at (626) 966-0478, or the Department of Labor's toll-free help line at 1-866-4US WAGE (1-866-487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at www.wagehour.dol.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.