The U.S. Department of Labor building in Washington, D.C.
A federal investigation has recovered $39,436 in back wages for 23 migrant workers employed by a Marvell cotton gin, the U.S. Department of Labor announced.
The department said that Service Cooperative Gin Co. Inc. failed to comply with worker protections in the Fair Labor Standards Act, specifically overtime provisions. Investigators found that the company failed to maintain records of workers’ earnings and pay statements, as required under a federal program that allows foreign workers to temporarily fill agriculture positions.
In addition to the back wages recovered, the department assessed $2,277 in penalties for the violations.
“The Wage and Hour Division can, and will, enforce worker protections for all workers in the U.S.,” Hanz Grünauer, director of the division’s Little Rock district. “Employers who utilize H-2A workers must comply with applicable laws and regulations including the FLSA. This case shows that employers who fail to comply may face costly consequences including back wages and penalties.”
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