Louisiana Home Care Companies to Pay $355K in Back Wages

More than 100 people working as home care companions will receive their share of nearly $355,000 in back wages and damages after investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division of two southern Louisiana home care providers under common ownership.

Investigators determined SafeCare LLC in Franklin misclassified many employees as independent contractors and paid them straight-time rates for all hours worked, including for overtime hours over 40 in a workweek. In New Iberia, the division found ApexCare LLC denied overtime to six workers for hours over 40 in a workweek.

Specifically, the division recovered $176,082 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages from SafeCare for affected employees, and $1,396 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages for the affected employees at ApexCare to resolve their Fair Labor Standards Act violations.

Source: Department off Labor