The U.S. Department of Labor has successfully secured a consent judgment against QualiT Healthcare LLC and its owner, Teajan Kamara, following an investigation that uncovered serious violations related to employee compensation.
The agency found that the home healthcare provider had intentionally failed to pay its workers for the overtime hours they earned.
Legal Proceedings and Judgment
In response to these findings, the Department of Labor initiated legal proceedings in a federal district court based in Philadelphia.
The court’s judgment revealed that QualiT Healthcare LLC owes an astounding $414,351 in unpaid wages and liquidated damages to the affected staff members, which constitutes a breach of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Moreover, the court imposed a civil monetary penalty of $5,649 on both the healthcare provider and Kamara, underlining the deliberate nature of their violations.
Remedial Actions Taken
Before reaching this consent judgment, QualiT Healthcare had already made an effort to rectify the situation by paying $198,591 in back wages and an additional $9,341 in liquidated damages to the workers impacted by these unlawful practices.
Now, the company must pay the remaining amount of $212,067 to the Department of Labor, alongside the civil penalties.
Impact on Employees
A regional solicitor from Philadelphia expressed optimism about this ruling, emphasizing that it will bring significant financial relief to the dedicated caregivers who serve their communities.
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, virtually all employees in the U.S. are entitled to earn at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for every hour worked.
Furthermore, for hours that exceed a total of 40 in a single week, they are also entitled to receive overtime pay at a rate of no less than one and a half times their standard hourly wage.
Source: Insurancejournal.com
