Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Printer-Friendly Version

Press Releases

SEATTLE -- Poulos Inc., doing business in Edmonds, Wash., as Barlee’s Family Restaurant and in Lynnwood, Wash., as AP Barbara’s, is paying $117,130 in back wages and liquidated damages to 32 low-wage employees as a result of violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

“This investigation reflects the Department of Labor’s commitment to protecting overtime rights and ensuring that workers receive the wages they have earned,” said Donna Hart, district director of the department’s Wage and Hour Division in Seattle. “In this case, we recovered $117,130 for current and former workers at these restaurants.”

The Wage and Hour Division’s investigation found that some kitchen staff were paid on a salary basis by check for the first 40 hours they worked and in cash at their straight time rate for overtime hours; other kitchen staff were paid only cash and “off the books” with no additional compensation for overtime hours. Some servers were also paid straight time for overtime hours worked. The investigation, covering the period from Dec. 1, 2002, through Dec. 1, 2004, also found that the company failed to keep time records.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the company agreed to payment of the back wages and entry of a consent judgment in U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, ordering future compliance with the FLSA.

The FLSA requires employers to pay covered employees at least one and a half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in each workweek and to maintain accurate and complete time records.

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

For more information about the FLSA, call the Seattle District Office at 206-398-8039 or the department’s toll-free line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243). Information is also available at www.wagehour.dol.gov.

###

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.