The US Department of Labor has recovered $158,868 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages from a Southern California residential care provider that refused to pay overtime to 45 workers, some of whom worked up to 70 hours per week. An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found PALS LLC — a residential care provider for individuals with special needs and developmental disabilities — purposely failed to pay caregivers overtime rates when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek. Investigators discovered some employees worked between 50 and 70 hours per week. Investigators also found the employer, which has locations in Indio and Whittier, failed to keep records of hours worked and rates of pay for each employee. In addition to the recovery of the unpaid wages and liquidated damages, the division assessed the employer $10,829 in civil money penalties because of the willful nature of the violations.
