Southern California Garment Contractor Fined Over Wages
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recovered $60,205 in unpaid wages for 124 garment workers after an investigation found that Corin’s Sewing Contractor failed to pay its employees the minimum wage and overtime pay.
The investigation was sparked after an anonymous tip was phoned in to EMPLEO (Employment Education Outreach), a toll-free Spanish-language helpline at (877) 552- 9832. Dedicated to serving the greater Los Angeles area, the helpline provides information on workplace concerns to employees and employers.
Corin’s Sewing Contractor, which makes men’s and women’s jeans in Huntington Park, Calif., was found to be in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA requires that nonexempt employees be paid no less than the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour (the California minimum wage is $6.75) and one and one-half times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 hours per week.
The investigation covered hours worked between April 20, 2003, and April 10, 2005. During this time, “workers were paid a piece rate, depending on the kind of work,” said Deanne Amaden, a DOL spokesperson in San Francisco. “During interviews, we found that some workers were paid anywhere from a few cents per button up to 30 to 40 cents per piece.”
The FLSA violation occurred when the piece rate did not at least equal the federal minimum wage and the employer failed to make up the difference to the workers, said a statement released by the DOL. The employer also failed to pay the overtime premium when employees worked more than 40 hours in a workweek, according to government officials.
In addition, the investigation found that workers at Corin’s Sewing Contractor “typically worked about 45 hours per week, generally from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Amaden said. “They often worked later, until 5 p.m., without being clocked in for the last hour.”
Corin’s Sewing Contractor refused to comment.
The California garment industry has been under heavy scrutiny lately, as state-funded sweeps have been searching for unregistered garment manufacturers. Other industries being targeted by sweeps include construction, car washes, janitorial services and racetracks. —Erin Barajas
