Grocery store owners violate FLSA overtime laws

Grocery store owners in Kenner, Lousiana, have been ordered to pay $65,000 in back wages after a Labor Department investigation revealed that they were in violations of Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA).

The Labor department's Wage and Hour Division investigated the supermarkets and found that they were in violation of overtime and record-keeping provisions. As a result of improperly maintained payroll records, the grocery stores owe 18 current and former employees back pay.

Details from the investigation revealed that some of the affected employees worked more than 40 hours a week and weren't awarded overtime pay, while others did not get compensated for time they spent cleaning stores after hours.

The owners of Celina's International Supermarket LLC and Kenner Supermarket Inc. have agreed to pay employees the extra money and also to properly maintain payroll records in the future. To avoid FLSA violations, businesses should ensure that employees' time and attendance are correctly monitored and recorded. Using time clocks in combination with payroll processing services can accurately account for the hours employees are working and generate reports that prove they have been compensated accordingly.