A petty determination to pay an worker his closing paycheck of $915 in oil-covered pennies, will find yourself costing a Georgia auto store some huge cash. That’s the choice in a case introduced towards AOK Walker Luxurious Autoworks and its proprietor Miles Walker by the U.S. Division of Labor.

If the oil-covered pennies sound acquainted to you, that’s as a result of we coated the story again in March 2021. The sum was given to Andreas Flaten after he resigned his place, citing a dispute along with his employer over his have to carry out childcare duties—an association they’d agreed to earlier than he began working there.

Following his determination to resign, his final paycheck was delivered to him on his driveway, within the type of 91,500 oil-covered pennies. On high of the pile, there was a pay stub marked with an expletive and the corporate revealed defamatory statements about Flaten on its web site, based on a information transient from the Division of Labor.

Extra: Autoshop Supervisor Paid Last Wage In 91,500 Oil-Coated Pennies

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What was maybe extra regarding to the division was its dedication that Miles Walker, the proprietor of AOK Walker Luxurious Autoworks, had violated the Truthful Labor Requirements Act by not paying Flaten and different employees time beyond regulation. As an alternative, it paid them a flat charge, even after they have been legally required to pay a better charge.

Consequently, the courtroom has ordered the store‘s operator to pay $39,934 in again wages and an equal quantity in liquidated damages to 9 employees. The store should additionally take away pictures and references to Flaten, and by no means publish about him once more. It should lastly publish the consent judgment in its facility, in addition to a reality sheet about worker rights.

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“The courtroom has despatched a transparent message to employers akin to Miles Walker who topic staff to unfair wage practices and outright intimidation and retaliation,” stated Tremelle Howard, Division of Labor regional solicitor. “Employers who mistakenly imagine they will willfully violate labor legal guidelines on the expense of staff and opponents should perceive that we’ll do the whole lot inside our rights to deliver them to justice.”