$1.5M back wage dispute settled

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/UpToTheMinute.cfm?recID=11341

$1.5M back wage dispute settled
By CityBusiness staff report

2007-06-25 11:57 AM CST

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recovered nearly $1.5 million in back wages for approximately 2,600 workers who cleaned and renovated U.S. naval facilities in Gulfport, Miss., and Belle Chasse following Hurricane Katrina.

“This administration is committed to ensuring that workers are paid all the wages they have earned,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.

The workers were employed by 107 subcontractors to Virginia-based KBR Inc., and the work performed was covered by the Service Contract Act, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and the Davis-Bacon Act. The SCA and DBA require payment of locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits on federal service and construction contracts. The CWHSSA sets forth overtime pay requirements for employees working on federal contracts.

The Wage and Hour Division found subcontractors failed to pay required wages and fringe benefits and proper overtime for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. The agency determined 2,623 workers at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport and the Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse were due approximately $1.475 million in back wages.

KBR and its subcontractors cooperated with the Labor Department’s investigation. Of the total back wages, the subcontractors paid approximately $670,000 directly to affected employees. The prime contractor, KBR, paid the balance of $800,000 to the department for disbursement to the remaining workers.

WHD is looking for workers no longer employed by the subcontractors to pay them back wages due. Individuals due back wages for work performed at the naval facilities should check the WHD back wage employee locator at https://www.dol-esa.gov/emploc.

For more information call (866) 4US-WAGE (487-9243) or visit www.wagehour.dol.gov.•
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