Labor Dept.: ‘Tis the season to cheat retail workers
BUSINESS RECORD STAFF Dec 19, 2016 | 4:42 pm
1 min read time
144 wordsAll Latest News, Government Policy and LawThe U.S. Department of Labor warns that some retailers are naughty, not nice, to workers — particularly during the holiday season. How so? Most commonly by:
- Failing to pay them for prepping or closing out a cash register.
- Requiring staff to work through breaks without pay.
- Stiffing workers on overtime.
The Labor Department notes that most businesses comply with labor laws. “But economic forces, cost-cutting pressure from shareholders and competition mean that retail workers — whether they’re seasonal hires or old hands — are vulnerable to wage violations. Some employers inadvertently commit such violations, while others deliberately cheat their workers,” the department says on its website.
In the 2016 fiscal year, the department found more than $14.7 million in back wages for more than 14,600 workers in the industry. That’s over $1,000 per worker. For cashiers, that’s nearly three times weekly earnings.
Read the full report.
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