Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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SEATTLE -- The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that Po Lee, president, and Yu Ling Lee, secretary, of House of Hong in Seattle's International District, have agreed to pay $165,000 in back wages, interest and penalties to 31 employees for minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

“The Labor Department is committed to ensuring that low-wage employees are properly paid for all hours worked, including the correct overtime rate when they work more than 40 hours in a work week,” said Donna Hart, district director for the department’s Wage Hour Division in Seattle.

The Wage and Hour investigation revealed that certain waitpersons were paid only $5.00 per hour for their overtime, violating both overtime and minimum wage provisions of the law. Many other employees worked up to 65 hours a week but were paid a straight monthly salary with no overtime pay. In addition, employees received part of their wages in cash and off the record. The investigation also found that House of Hong’s official payroll records were incomplete and inaccurate.

The FLSA requires that employees who are covered by the law are paid at least the federal minimum wage and time and one half times the regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in one workweek. The law also requires employers to maintain accurate payroll records of hours and wages.

Information about the FLSA is available at the U.S. Department of Labor's toll-free help line at (866) 4US-WAGE (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.