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June 22, 2015

Portland flooring contractor to repay $52,000 in back wages to employees

Portland-based flooring contractor Paul G. White Tile Co. has agreed to pay $52,000 in back wages to 42 employees after making what is being called a “common wage violation.”

The U.S. Department of Labor said Friday that the investigation by its Wage and Hour Division found that Paul G. White Tile hadn’t compensated the employees for travel time as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The department said the contractor has agreed to comply with the law moving forward.

While travel time is not compensable on all occasions, the department said, employees must be compensated when they are required to travel to perform work, pick up tools for transportation or receive instructions as part of the day’s work.

“We want construction employers to take note of this case and what it means for them,” Daniel Cronin, Wage and Hour Division district director for northern New England, said in a statement. “It’s important that they know and follow the law when it comes to compensating employees for travel time. This is a common wage violation in this industry but one that employers can prevent by educating themselves about the laws that apply to their businesses and adhering to them.”

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