Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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NEW YORK -- Parking Systems/American Valet Services Inc. of the Bronx and company officers Mark Baron and Rudi Purisic have paid 18 employees a total of $14,819 in back wages to resolve a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor alleging violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The department’s suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York following an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division that disclosed violations of the FLSA’s overtime provisions.

The FLSA requires that covered employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage as well as time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week. The law also requires that accurate records of employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment be maintained, and prohibits retaliation against employees who exercise their rights under the law.

“We are pleased with the resolution of this matter,” said Philip Jacobson, director of the Wage and Hour Division’s district office in New York City, “and hope that this case will serve as a reminder to other employers of low-wage workers of their obligation under the law to pay their employees properly for all hours worked.”

A consent judgment signed by Judge Arthur D. Spatt prohibits the defendants from future violations of the FLSA’s minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping and anti-retaliation provisions. It orders the defendants to pay the back wages, which they already have done, covering the period between January 2005 and January 2007. The defendants agreed to entry of the judgment while denying any wrongdoing.

The defendants also must post official posters explaining employee rights under the FLSA where all employees may view them.

The Wage and Hour Division concluded 30,467 compliance actions and recovered a record $220 million in back wages for more than 341,000 employees in fiscal year 2007. Back-wage collections in fiscal year 2007 represent a 67 percent increase over back wages collected in fiscal year 2001. The number of workers receiving back wages has increased by 58 percent since fiscal year 2001. For more information about the FLSA, call the Department of Labor’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at www.wagehour.dol.gov, and an interactive “e-laws advisor” providing detailed information about FLSA compliance is available at www.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm. www.wagehour.dol.gov, and an interactive “e-laws advisor” providing detailed information about FLSA compliance is available atwww.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm.

Chao v. Parking Systems/American Valet Services, Inc.; Civil Action Number: 2:07-CV-04840-ADS

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