Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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CINCINNATI --

Veterans Security Patrol Company, doing business as Veterans Security in the Cincinnati area, has paid $29,945 in overtime back wages to 147 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

“The Labor Department is committed to vigorously enforcing the law to ensure that all employees, and in particular low-wage employees, are paid all the wages they are owed,” said George Victory, district director of the Wage and Hour office in Columbus, Ohio.

The Wage and Hour Division investigated Veterans Security under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the federal law that establishes minimum wage and overtime standards. Veterans Security, based in Bellevue, Ky., paid security guards on a bi-weekly basis. The firm paid overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 80, instead of time and one-half after 40 hours in each workweek, as required by law. On certain jobs, guards were paid straight-time for overtime hours. One non-exempt employee was paid a salary and did not receive overtime pay.

Veterans Security also failed to keep an accurate daily and weekly record of hours worked by employees. The violations occurred from May 2003 through May 2005.

After the Wage and Hour Division explained the overtime pay requirements of the FLSA, Veterans Security agreed to comply with the law in the future. The company immediately changed its payroll policies to ensure that all workers are paid properly.

Veterans Security provides guard services at conventions, public housing and apartment buildings.

The FLSA requires employers to pay covered non-exempt employees 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.

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.