Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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MINNEAPOLIS -- Lazer Communications Inc., a cable television installation company based in Brooklyn Park, Minn., has paid $115,926 in back wages to 191 cable installers in Minnesota and Wisconsin following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD).

T"Because Lazer Communications cooperated, these workers were paid the back wages they worked for and deserved," said Tammy D. McCutchen, administrator of the department's Wage and Hour Division. "The Bush Administration is committed to enforcing the law to protect America's workers." She noted that the department's WHD recovered more than $212 million in back wages in fiscal year (FY) 2003, a 21 percent increase over the record setting amount of FY 2002.

The investigation found that the company paid cable installers a fixed rate per job and did not pay them overtime pay after 40 hours of work per week. Fourteen installers did not receive the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour in some weeks. The investigation also disclosed that the company failed to keep a record of hours worked by cable installers.

The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the federal minimum wage at $5.15 for most workers and generally requires the payment of time and one-half an employee's regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Employers also must keep accurate time and payroll records.

The investigation included workers employed during May 2001 through May 2003 at locations in Brooklyn Park and St. Cloud, Minn., and Madison, Wis. The office formerly located at 2623 South Stoughton Road in Madison is now closed.

The company cooperated with the Wage and Hour Division to determine the number of hours the employees worked. The investigation concluded that $114,788 was due for the overtime pay violations and $1,138 for the minimum wage violations. In addition to paying the back wages owed, the company agreed to comply with the law in the future and to promptly begin paying overtime pay to cable installers.

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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