NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — A Louisiana bakery recently agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor to resolve claims that the company violated various provisions of federal labor and wage laws, including failure to pay overtime wages to several of its workers.
As part of the settlement, New Orleans-based Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery Inc., doing business as DP Bakeshop, will pay a combined $127,128 in back wages and damages to 43 current and former employees.
An investigation by the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division determined that DP Bakeshop violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) when it failed to pay its workers one and a half times their average hourly rate of pay. Under the FLSA, companies must pay their workers this premium overtime pay for the time employees spend above the national 40-hour per week overtime threshold.
“Employees who work long, hard hours to make ends meet count on being paid for every hour they work, including the time-and-one-half the law requires when they work overtime,” said Betty Campbell, Wage and Hour Division Regional Administrator. “The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that employees receive the wages they’ve earned and that employers compete on a level playing field where everyone plays by the same rules.”
The Wage and Hour Division found the violations occurred when DP Bakeshop paid its workers their regular hourly rates of pay for overtime hours, sometimes paying workers in cash and off the books. As a result, the company also violated the recordkeeping provisions of the FLSA when it failed to record and provide workers with accurate wage and payroll statements detailing all the hours worked and wages earned.
While the Labor Department does its best to recover unpaid wages for as many workers as it can, the reality is that the government cannot investigate and prosecute every single instance of wages theft. Fortunately, the FLSA allows workers to hire an unpaid overtime lawsuit attorney and file lawsuits to recover back pay, damages, and attorneys fees.
Bakery Worker Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit
Call (855) 754-2795 or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review form on the top right of this page if you feel that your wage rights are being violated under the FLSA. Our top-rated team of unpaid wage lawyers will evaluate your situation to determine your best course of action to help you seek justice.
Our office will also determine if it is in your best interest to file a lawsuit against your employer. Because strict time limitations apply for filing these types of claims, we advise you contact our experienced unpaid overtime wage attorneys at your earliest convenience and preserve your legal rights.