Arkansas Company Pays $709K to Settle Overtime Claims

Federal labor officials say an Arkansas company has paid nearly $709,000 to settle overtime and minimum wage claims stemming from the cleanup of Louisiana floods in 2016.

The U.S. Department of Labor said that Wallace, Rush, Schmidt Inc. had failed to pay 1,393 workers for weeks. The workers had gone to the Baton Rouge area and other Louisiana worksites after prolonged rains triggered floods.

The Labor Department says the company failed to keep complete and accurate records, which led to problems. Investigators say that limited access to technology was likely responsible for the workers’ supervisors’ ability to submit employee timesheets.

The money will settle claims of overtime, minimum wage and record-keeping violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.