Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Printer-Friendly Version

Press Releases

CHICAGO --

The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that Broadband Express Inc., doing business as Cable Express Inc., has agreed to pay approximately 1,000 cable installers $1,008,751 in back wages as a result of alleged violations of the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

“This action today reflects the Bush Administration’s commitment to protecting overtime rights and ensuring that workers receive all the wages they have earned,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “In this case, we have recovered more than $1 million for current and former workers.”

Cable Express, headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, provides services to the cable television, telecommunications, wireless, and broadband industries.

The Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, Columbus, Ohio, investigated Cable Express under the FLSA, the federal minimum wage and overtime law. The investigation disclosed that installers were paid a piece-rate and did not receive overtime pay for work in excess of 40 hours in a week. The investigation covered the period June 2002 through June 2004.

Cable Express cooperated fully during the investigation. After the Wage and Hour Division explained the overtime pay requirements of the FLSA, Cable Express voluntarily agreed to compute back wages owed to installers under the Labor Department’s supervision. The company paid current employees their back wages on February 25, 2005, and will compensate former employees by April 15, 2005.

Cable Express has facilities in Westerville, Columbus, Toledo, Valleyview and Middletown, Ohio; Plymouth, Mich.; Murrysville and Lancaster, Pa; Marietta and Tucker, Ga.; Louisville, Ky.; Kenilworth, N.J.; and Hamburg and Rochester, N.Y.

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. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records.

The Wage and Hour Division recovered nearly $200 million in back wages in fiscal year (FY) 2004 for more than 288,000 workers.

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.

###

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.