Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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MINNEAPOLIS --

Open Access Technology International Inc., a Minneapolis, Minn.-based company, has agreed to pay $109,165 in back wages to 24 computer professionals and a $24,000 fine to settle immigration law violations, the U.S. Labor Department announced today.

An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that the company brought non-immigrant workers under the H-1B temporary non-immigration program into the U.S., but failed to pay them the minimum required wage rates for the areas where they were employed. The company also failed to provide required documents to the H-1B workers, failed to maintain a public access file, and failed to provide requested documents to the Labor Department in a timely manner.

“The Department of Labor aggressively enforces the law to ensure that temporary foreign workers are compensated fully and fairly,” said Jose L. Medina, director of the Wage and Hour Division district office in Minneapolis. “As this case shows, violations of the temporary foreign worker program will be vigorously pursued.”

The H-1B visa program allows foreign workers to enter and work temporarily in the United States in professional level jobs such as computer programmers, engineers, medical doctors and teachers. H-1B workers must be paid at least the same wage rates and benefits as those paid to U.S. workers already doing the same job in the same geographic area.

The Wage and Hour Division enforces the H-1B wage provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, in addition to other federal laws pertaining to wage payments. For more information please visit www.dol.gov or call toll free 1-866-4-USA-DOL.

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