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Wage and Hour Division - To promote and achieve compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of the nation's workforce.

Press Releases

U.S. Department of Labor
Wage and Hour Division
Release Number: 04-2377-CHI

Date: 

November 19, 2004

Contact: 

Juan Solano

Phone: 

(312) 353-6976

U.S. Labor Department Files Lawsuit Against Sterling Heights, Mich., Trash Removal Firm.

DETROIT --

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the filing of a lawsuit against Trash Taxi Inc., a trash removal firm based in Sterling Heights, Mich., and Curtis Agius, who owns the company, for alleged overtime pay violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the federal wage and hour law.

“Our priority at the Department of Labor is to protect vulnerable workers. We will not hesitate to aggressively enforce the law and pursue litigation in cases involving serious violations,” said James Smith, district director of the Wage and Hour Division in Detroit.

The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, in Detroit. The complaint alleges violations of the overtime pay and record keeping provisions of the FLSA. The Labor Department is seeking back wages, liquidated damages equal to the amount of back wages or interest, and an injunction restraining Trash Taxi Inc. and Agius from future violations of the FLSA.

An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that Trash Taxi Inc. and Agius employed truck drivers and trash throwers who were paid day rates and did not receive overtime pay when they worked more than 40 hours per week. The investigation also found that the firm and Agius failed to keep an accurate record of hours worked by employees. The violations occurred after May 2002.

The FLSA requires that covered employees be paid the minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one-half their regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 per week. The FLSA also requires employers to 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.


 



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