Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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SEATTLE -- Thomas Philleo, doing business in Eltopia, Wash., as Philleaux Distributing, Philleo Premium Pak and Philleo's Premium Pak, has agreed to pay 200 of his employees a total of $175,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for violations of federal overtime laws, the U.S. Department of Labor announced today.

According to Donna Hart, Seattle district director for the department's Wage Hour Division, a consent judgment was entered Jan.5, 2006, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.

From April 2002 through June 2005, the firm did not pay overtime as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to employees working in an asparagus packing house in Eltopia. The FLSA requires that employers pay covered employees at least time and a half for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the federal Wage Hour Division and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

For more information, call the Department of Labor’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (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.