The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division Richmond District Office announced findings of unfair wages by Roadtek Traffic Solutions impacting employees in Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina. At the same time, disaster recovery firm Qualtek Recovery Logistics, is facing the same charge of unfair pay in a class action suit filed in Eastern District Court in Philadelphia.
The Department of Labor (DOL) investigation found that Roadtek employees were underpaid for overtime work. Based in North Canton, Ohio, Roadtek required employees to conduct pre- and post-shift tasks that qualified for time and a half wages for time after 40 hours worked. The investigation found that Roadtek kept inaccurate records of the hours worked, and the agency charged that the firm owed 297 non-exempt employees in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina a total of over $244,000.
A class action suit was filed against Qualtek Recovery Logistics, LLC by Trisha Ferguson for unfair wages and workers misclassification on Friday, February 25, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Ferguson’s suit, similar to the DOL investigation on Roadtek, charges that workers were not paid overtime. The suit alleges that workers clocked in 80 hour work weeks but were misclassified as independent contractors and were not paid for overtime work.
Wage and Hour Division Director Roberto Melendez emphasized that workers deserve to be paid all of their earned wages. It is encouraged that employers routinely review their pay practices to avoid similar violations.
Philadelphia employment attorneys at The Gold Law Firm P.C., have over three decades of experience fighting to obtain fair labor conditions and pay for workers. With offices in Philadelphia and Pennsauken, New Jersey, the firm represents clients in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Northeast Philadelphia, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Cherry Hill, South Jersey. Call 215-569-1999 for a free consultation.
