West Columbia Gas Station Forced to Pay $150K in Overtime Back Pay

West Columbia Gas Station Forced to Pay $150K in Overtime Back Pay

Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDL) have recovered over $150,000 from a West Columbia gas station. The recovery comes after a discovery that the gas station withheld overtime pay from its employees.

Overtime Violations Discovered

The USDL discovered that Samer Express, a gas station and convenience store operating in the West Columbia area, violated federal wage laws. The establishment reportedly denied overtime pay to 29 of its employees, continuing regular hourly rates beyond the standard 40-hour work week. Regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act mandates employers to follow an overtime premium protocol which includes time-and-a-half pay for work exceeding the 40-hour week.

Financial Recovery

The department’s investigation resulted in the recovery of $153,506 in back wages and liquidated damages. These funds will serve as reimbursement for the unpaid overtime to which employees were rightfully entitled.

Employer Responsibility Emphasized

“The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring workers get every dollar they earned,” asserted Jamie Benefiel, Wage and Hour Division District Director. “Failing to pay the proper rate for all of the hours employees work is a violation employers can and must avoid.” Benefiel stressed the obligation for employers to understand federal wage law and encouraged them to seek compliance assistance with any clarifications needed.

Glooming on Samer Express

Samer Express has been operational since January 2017. Despite the noticeable impact of this financial recovery, there has been no comment from the management of the gas station and convenience store regarding this issue.