Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. --

Q Services Company, a telecommunications company based in Evansville, Ind., has paid $52,001 in back wages to 31 non-exempt salaried employees for violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division disclosed that Q Services misclassified salaried employees as exempt from overtime pay. The workers were employed in various classifications including computer-aided design (CAD) engineers, circuit network engineers, and assistant product managers. The employer also failed to keep an accurate record of hours worked by employees. The violations occurred during the period August 2002 through August 2004.

“The Labor Department is committed to ensuring that workers who are entitled to overtime pay receive all of the wages they are owed,” said Ella Johnson, district director of the department’s Wage and Hour Division in Indianapolis. “Workers must be paid overtime after 40 hours of work in a week unless they meet specific salary and job duty tests.”

The FLSA requires covered employees to be paid the minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one-half the regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a week. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records.

The FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain job duty and salary tests. Under the Labor Department’s regulations, workers earning less than $23,660 per year – or $455 per week – are guaranteed overtime pay protection.

Q Services Company provides telecommunications, internet, intranet and related media services.

The Wage and Hour Division recovered nearly $200 million in back wages in fiscal year 2004 for more than 288,000 workers. For more information about the FLSA, 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. Information about the current exemption for while-collar executive, administrative, and professional employees can be found on the Internet at www.dol.gov/fairpay.

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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.