“These workers perform a vital role as caregivers. Some should have earned as much as an additional $300 per week to meet minimum legal requirements. That money can help support a family,” said Susana Blanco, district director for the Wage and Hour Division in San Francisco. “The employer also treated one employee as an independent contractor—a trend that characterizes employees as contractors and denies them basic workplace protections. For vulnerable workers, this case represents a victory in the protection of their rights.”
San Francisco District Office investigators found that the firm paid most employees a weekly salary without regard to hours worked. Entitled to minimum wage and overtime, many affected employees received as little as $5 per hour and worked up to 11 hours per day, five to six days a week. The owners also failed to keep accurate and complete records of employee hours. Additionally, a caregiver was misclassified as an independent contractor and worked long hours without minimum wage and overtime pay.
“In an industry with a substantial record of labor violations and exploitation, these results should warn employers,” said Ruben Rosalez, the division’s regional administrator in San Francisco. “We will hold employers accountable for noncompliance, and we urge workers to contact the department if they believe their rights have been violated.”
Source: DOL
This information is intended to be
educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.
