Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Printer-Friendly Version

Press Releases

NAPPANEE, Ind. --

Kountry Wood Products LLC has agreed to pay $67,748 in overtime back wages to 79 manufacturing workers after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division determined the company violated the overtime pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

A Wage and Hour investigation determined that between March 2004 and March 2006, the company failed to include production bonuses in its computation of overtime pay, and failed to record preliminary time for piece rate employees. The business owners cooperated with investigators and agreed to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act in the future.

“The Labor Department is committed to ensuring that workers are paid all the wages due them under the law,” said Ella Johnson, district director for the Wage and Hour Division in Indianapolis.

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 work week, unless the employee is exempt from overtime pay. In most circumstances, non-discretionary bonuses must be included with other pay to determine the rate of pay for purposes of calculating overtime. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records.

For more information about the FLSA, call the department’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243); visit the Internet at www.wagehour.dol.gov; or contact the Indianapolis Wage and Hour Division office, 46 E. Ohio St., Indianapolis, Ind., 46204, or call 1-317-226-6801.

###

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.