Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has recovered $87,071 in back wages for eight detention aides who worked for the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center. The employer failed to pay the workers the required overtime premium for hours worked in excess of 40 per week.

The investigation determined that the aides routinely worked 45-50 hours per week and were paid straight time for all hours worked in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

“We commend the Missouri State Courts Administration for the corrective actions taken on behalf of the Butler County employees and for working cooperatively with the department to obtain the back wages due the eight workers,” said Richard Longo, assistant district director for the Wage and Hour Division in St. Louis.

The employer has paid all the back wages and agreed to comply with overtime regulations in the future. The investigation covered a two-year period between November 8, 2002 and November 7, 2004.

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employees to be paid the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one-half the regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a week unless the employee is exempt from overtime pay. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records.

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 decreased during that time period from 108 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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