SC Trucking Company Fined More than $51k in Overtime Dispute

A South Carolina trucking company has been fined over $51,000 for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act after requiring employees to pay for uniforms after termination and failing to pay for overtime for employees.

According to a press release from the Department of Labor, Ard Trucking Co. Inc. from Timmonsville received fines of $25,693 in back wages and $25,693 in liquidated damages.

The Labor Department said the trucking company required some employees to pay for uniforms which caused the worker's average hourly pay rate to drop below the federal minimum wage. The company also reportedly failed to keep up-to-date records of work hours for some employees, which is also a violation.

According to a blog post on the DOL website, Angela Murphy, a former compliance and safety specialist with the company filed the complaint with the DOL after her husband got sick and she was frustrated with the lack of overtime pay.

“My voice was heard and the company agreed to pay what my coworkers and I were due. The money I received helped my family in many ways because my husband is still battling cancer,” said Murphy in the blog post. “To say I am grateful is an understatement. I’m very thankful for the Department of Labor, especially the investigator who handled my case.”

Angela received $15,000 in backpay according to the post.

“Not paying workers their full and legally earned wages is unethical and illegal. Employers have a legal obligation to pay employees for all hours they worked,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel in Columbia, South Carolina. “Employers must follow these standards and make sure their employees take home every cent they’ve earned. An employer’s failure to comply with the law can have costly consequences.”