By Breaking News Staff
DAYTON — The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Dayton-based R & R Takhar Operations Inc. to recover back wages and liquidated damages due to 80 employees.
An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division disclosed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping provisions, according to a release from the department Wednesday.
The company operates 12 Ohio gas stations under the Sunoco, Marathon and Shell Oil brands. The violations affected employees at 12 gas stations located in Anna, Beavercreek, Botkins, Franklin, Huber Heights, Middletown, New Carlisle, St. Mary’s, Sidney and Springfield.
According to the release, investigators found that minimum wage violations occurred when gas station workers regularly performed pre and post-shift work for which they were not compensated.
They allege the business also required employees to pay back cash register shortages or drive-offs. Employees were required to pay the shortages in cash or by working additional hours without compensation.
Salaries also did not include an overtime premium of time and one-half workers’ regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 in a work week, as required, and overtime was often banked as credit for time off or paid in cash at a rate of $7 per hour.
The investigation also found that payroll records were not maintained accurately to reflect all hours worked, wages paid and hours worked at multiple locations.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western Division in Cincinnati.