Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Printer-Friendly Version

Press Releases

INGLESIDE, Ill. -- The U.S. Department of Labor today filed a legal action against M Industries LLC in Ingleside and Michael W. Lynch of Lake Forest, Ill., for alleged violations of the overtime and minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The department’s Wage and Hour Division conducted an investigation of the company’s pay practices which found that the employer failed to pay the minimum wage and time and one-half for all hours worked in excess of 40 per week since November 2006. The company manufactures plastic parts.

The FLSA requires employees to be paid the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked over 40 in a week unless an employee is exempt from coverage. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records.

The Wage and Hour Division concluded 31,987 compliance actions and recovered more than $171 million in back wages for more than 246,000 employees in fiscal year 2006. Back-wage collections last year represent a 30 percent increase over back wages collected in fiscal 2001. The number of workers receiving back wages has increased by 14 percent since year 2001.

For more information about the FLSA and other laws the Wage and Hour Division administers, call the Department of Labor’s toll-free helpline at (866) 4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at www.wagehour.dol.gov.

Chao v. M Industries LLC

File Number 07CV4832

###

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.