An Orange-based roofing company has agreed to pay $758,166 in back wages and penalties after investigators found 341 workers weren’t paid overtime.
A recent investigation of Saddleback Roofing Inc. by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the privately-held company’s owner paid some employees flat salaries, regardless of the number of hours they worked.
Additional violations resulted from the employer’s practice of paying for overtime hours at straight-time rates, in separate payroll checks or in unrecorded cash.
The investigation has resulted in the recovery of $616,651 in back wages to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The company was also assessed $141,515 in civil penalties due to the willful nature of the violations, bringing the total to $758,166. Saddleback was also cited for record-keeping violations.
Representatives with Saddleback could not be reached for comment Friday.
Skarleth Kozlo, assistant director of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division in West Covina, said wage theft is a costly issue.
“Employers must pay workers all the wages they have legally earned, including overtime,” Kozlo said in a statement. “Saddleback Roofing is paying a high price in back wages and civil money penalties for their violations.”
With offices in Orange and Frisco, Texas, Saddleback has served commercial and industrial roofing customers since 1956. The company’s website says it “is recognized as one of the leading replacement, repair, coating, and maintenance contractors” in the area.
Saddleback has managed major roofing projects at The Forum arena in Inglewood, the Honda Center in Anaheim and at Ralphs, Vons, and Stater Bros. supermarkets. Saddleback also performs maintenance and repair work for many well-known restaurant and hotel chains, including Applebee’s and Hampton and Marriott hotels.
