DOL: Employers should avoid disaster wage violations

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) encourages employers involved in severe weather or disaster recovery services to stay away from pay practices that violate federal regulations.

Division investigators have found from the aftermath of disaster's that employers are not paying proper minimum, overtime and prevailing wages. Employees are often misclassified as independent contractors, incomplete payroll records, and using child labor illegally.

The recent severe weather in Oklahoma provides a good time to research and stay up to date with the Wage and Hour Division's Natural Disaster Compliance Assistance Toolkit, to avoid any violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act during recovery and rebuilding.

“While employers involved in disaster recovery are focused largely on responding to the needs of people in areas stricken when calm resumes, they cannot overlook their obligations to pay people fully and properly for the hard work they do,” explained Wage and Hour Division District Director Michael Speer in Oklahoma City. “The U.S. Department of Labor acts quickly to protect workers’ rights to their full wages, protections and benefits, and encourage employers and workers to contact us for guidance to avoid compliance issues.”

Those that are employed in storm and disaster recovery and experience an employer who has failed to pay them fully are encouraged to contact the division confidentially by calling 1-866-487-9243. The division protects all workers regardless of immigration status and can communicate with diverse workers in more than 200 different languages.

If you want to learn more about how to contact the wage and hour division, click here. Or if you want to know how to file a complaint, click here.

U.S. Department of Labor also has a new Timesheet App that accurately calculates hours and pay. The app is available in English and Spanish and for both Apple and Android devices.