After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Fames Transport Inc. — a mail-hauling contractor for the U.S. Postal Service in Southern California — has paid $116,513 in back wages and fringe benefits to 67 employees for violating federal labor law, it was announced Thursday.
The WHD investigation determined that Fames Transport failed to pay employees on the contract for all of the hours that they worked. Work performed prior to scheduled shifts, and some work time between routes went unrecorded and unpaid, according to the WHD office in West Covina.
The unpaid time led to the employer’s failure to pay required prevailing wages and fringe benefits as required by the Service Contract Act. Failure to keep accurate records of the hours employees actually worked resulted in record-keeping violations, the WHD said.
“This investigation demonstrates the department’s commitment to ensuring that employees are paid the wages they have rightfully earned and to leveling the playing field among all employers who do business with the government,” said WHD Assistant District Director Skarleth Kozlo. “We encourage government contractors, and all employers, to use the wide variety of tools we offer to learn about their responsibilities, ensure their pay practices comply with the law and avoid violations like those found in this case.”