Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. --

A federal district court has ordered the owners of Judy’s Restaurant, Oak Creek, Wis., to pay 21 employees $270,666 in unpaid overtime wages and liquidated damages following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The federal district court in Milwaukee found that restaurant owners Agim Salija, Sali Salija and Salija Inc. violated the overtime pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by paying employees less than time and one-half for hours worked over forty in a single workweek. Overtime violations occurred between June 1, 2002 and May 29, 2005.

Investigators from the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined that cooks, busboys and dishwashers at the restaurant were paid a fixed weekly salary, in cash, without any overtime premium for hours worked in excess of forty in a single workweek. These employees regularly worked 60 to 72 hours per week.

“The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that workers are paid in accordance with the law and for all hours worked. The court’s award provides for recovery of the lost overtime pay as well as compensation for the delay the workers incurred before being properly paid,” said Denise Scharlemann, director of the Wage and Hour Minneapolis district office.

The FLSA requires the payment of the minimum wage and of overtime at time and one-half an employee’s regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 per week. The FLSA also contains record keeping requirements and youth employment standards.

The Wage and Hour Division recovered nearly $200 million in back wages in fiscal year 2004 for more than 288,000 workers. Average days to resolve a complaint during that time decreased from 108 days to 92 days. 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.