CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — The U.S. Department of Labor gave several workers at a Canton, Georgia auto shop over $160,000 in back wages and damages after finding several work violations.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor investigation, Cherokee Tire Service LLC shortchanged 19 workers.

Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that the tire service kept some workers’ first weekly paychecks as a uniform deposit, which was in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

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The employer also failed to pay some non-exempt salaried workers time-and-a-half on their regular rate for overtime when they worked more than 40 hours in the workweek.

In addition to the withheld checks and shortage of overtime pay, the employer did not add certain bonuses into workers’ hourly rates as required when calculating overtime rates.

The division also found that the employer failed to keep accurate records of work hours and overtime premiums that were paid.

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The division recovered $161,983 in back wages and liquidated damages for the affected workers.

Wage and Hour Division District Director Steven Salazar said that when business owners don’t pay their employees properly, it makes it harder for them to make ends meet.

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“When business owners fail to pay full wages for the work their employees do, these workers and their families must work harder to make ends meet,” said Salazar. “Employers who fail to meet their obligations to workers may find it difficult to retain and recruit the employees they need to make their businesses successful.”

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