Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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PEORIA, Ill. --

A temporary staffing agency based in Peoria, Ill., has paid $32,879 in back wages to 76 non-exempt employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

The Staffing Difference Nurse Agency Inc. also agreed to pay a fine of $6,270 for repeat overtime pay violations.

“The Labor Department is committed to vigorously enforcing the law to ensure that employees are paid all of the wages they are owed,” said Enrique Rodriguez, district director of the department’s Wage and Hour Division in St. Louis, Mo

The department’s Wage and Hour Division investigated The Staffing Difference Nurse Agency Inc. under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the federal law that establishes the minimum wage and overtime standards. The investigation disclosed overtime violations for hourly-paid registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who were not paid time and one-half after 40 hours in some weeks. The violations occurred during the period March 2003 through March 2005.

A previous investigation by the Wage and Hour Division in 2001 found overtime pay violations. In that case, The Staffing Difference paid $3,023 in back pay to 26 employees.

The Staffing Difference Nurse Agency Inc. does business as The Staffing Difference. The firm employs workers at health care facilities throughout Illinois.

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 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.

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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.