LITTLE ROCK -- Arkansas-based Ouachita County Medical Center has reached a more than $90,000 settlement with the federal government to resolve claims of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations, including failing to pay overtime to onsite, overnight employees.
According to a U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, the medical center did not calculate hours some employees spent onsite overnight and calculated overtime rates at a lesser rate than required by law. The medical center also did not keep proper payroll records in violation of the FLSA, the WHD said.
"Emergency medical professionals are critical to the welfare of the American people," said WHD district director in Little Rock Hanz Grünauer in a statement. "We work to ensure that they, and all employees, are paid the wages they have legally earned. We encourage employers to reach out to us for free and confidential assistance at any time to ensure that they are paying their employees correctly."
Ouachita County Medical Center will pay $91,044 in back wages as part of the settlement, according to the WHD.