Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Wage And Hour Watch: More Than $250,000 In Back Wages Recovered For Florida Workers After Illegal Tip Sharing Scheme
On April 24th, 2023, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) announced the conclusion of a wage and hour investigation involving a restaurant in Southwest Florida. The federal agency recovered more than $250,000 in back wages on behalf of restaurant workers who were unlawfully required to share tips. Wage and hour violations in the… Read More »
What Are My Remedies If I Was Subject To Racial Discrimination In The Workplace In Florida?
It is an unfortunate reality, but race-based discrimination still remains a problem in too many workplaces in Florida. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (federal law) and the Florida Civil Rights Act (state law) both prohibit any race, color, or ethnic background discrimination at businesses and organizations with 15 or more… Read More »
What Evidence Can Be Used To Prove Unlawful Retaliation By An Employer In Florida?
Employees in Florida should be able exercise their legally protected rights without facing any type of punishment from their employer. Unfortunately, unlawful retaliation by companies and organizations is a problem. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) notes that retaliation is the most common cause of action cited in federal sector employment claims. Retaliation… Read More »
Can You Be Fired For Discussing Forming A Union In Florida?
While fewer U.S. workers are members of labor unions than decades ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 14.3 million wage and hour workers nationwide belong to a labor union (2022). You may be considering organizing your workplace in Florida. This raises an important question: Can you be fired for talking about… Read More »
More Than $140,000 In Compensation For Unpaid Overtime Recovered On Behalf Of Seasonal Workers In Florida
On February 8th, 2023, the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor announced the recovery of more than $144,000 in back wages on behalf of several dozen workers who were improperly denied overtime pay in Florida. The DOL determined that La Dolce Vita LLC—a beach-based bike and boat rental company—unlawfully used an… Read More »
More Than $250,000 Recovered On Behalf Of Restaurant Workers In Florida Who Were Unlawfully Forced To Live On Tips
On February 22nd, 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a press release confirming that the agency has recovered $253,044 in back wages on behalf of several dozen restaurant workers in Central Florida. Many of the workers were unlawfully forced to live off of tips. Other workers were denied overtime. Below, we discuss the… Read More »
Airline Will Pay $75,000 To Settle Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit In Miami
On February 28th, 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the company Aruba Airlines has agreed to pay $75,000 to resolve a pregnancy discrimination claim. The case was filed in a federal court in Miami-Dade County, Florida. In this article, our Florida employee rights attorneys offer a more in-depth review of the allegations and… Read More »
Supreme Court Clarifies Salary Basis Test For Overtime; Favorable Decision For Some High Wage Employees
On February 22nd, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in the employment law case of Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. v. Hewitt. In a somewhat unexpected 6 to 3 ruling the nation’s highest court found that Michael Hewitt, despite his high salary, was not an executive employee and therefore… Read More »
Florida Company Will Pay $50,000, Furnish Other Relief In Sex Discrimination Claim
On December 16th, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has agreed to pay $50,000 and furnish other forms of relief to resolve a sex discrimination claim. Qualtool, Inc.—a manufacturing firm based in Lake County, Florida—purportedly refused to hire female job applicants for evening positions in violation of federal and state workplace discrimination laws…. Read More »
DOL Obtains Judgment Requiring Florida Contractor To Pay Nearly $120,000 In Back Wages To Security Guards Misclassified As Independent Contractors
On December 21st, 2022, the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced successful enforcement action in a wage and hour case. The agency obtained a $117,880 judgment against a Florida employer and its primary owner. The company misclassified several dozen security guards as independent contractors instead of employees. In… Read More »