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Wage and hour violations reported at discount store

With the American economy in constant turmoil, many residing in the Bay Area consider themselves to be extremely fortunate if they are able to maintain steady employment. One of the largest job sectors in the nation is retail. While many retail workers truly enjoy their jobs, their chosen field can at times be prone to employee mistreatment, especially in the form of wage and hour violations.

Recently, The U.S. Department of Labor was involved when a court ordered the retail chain 99 Cents Only to pay $273,254 to 125 employees in their Arizona stores. 99 Cents Only is a chain of discount stores based in California. The Department of Labor determined that the company had failed to pay its assistant managers for breaks. Worse yet, when lines became long, many employees were called to help at the registers while they were on break.

The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the rules regarding treatment of employees. This law states that if employees are not entitled to a break where they are free from performing their job duties, they must be paid for these breaks. Further investigation into 99 Cents Only revealed that the company had failed to keep proper records regarding payroll, resulting in further violations.

Many times, the employees themselves may be unaware that they are being mistreated. Often, such violations go unnoticed and unreported. Workers are entitled to fair treatment and wages. If a California employee’s rights are being violated, especially when it comes to wage and hour violations, it can be helpful to seek the assistance of an attorney who focuses on employment law, and may be able to assist workers in assuring that their rights are restored, without fear of retaliation on the part of an employer.

Source: azcentral.com, “Labor violations at Arizona 99 Cents Only Stores leads to fine“, Russ Wiles, May 8, 2018