US-DOL recovers back wages for Am Samoa workers denied full pay

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A federal investigation recovered $23,358 in back wages for eight employees of a Pago Pago employer who failed to pay eight workers for work performed before and after their scheduled shifts. The employer required the work but failed to record the time and pay for the hours. Additionally, the employer illegally deducted meal breaks and lodging costs from worker’s pay.

Reported in a press release from the Dept. of Labor (US-DOL), investigators with the agency’s Wage and House Division found Solid Corp. — an enterprise consisting of Worldwide Cash Station, Worldwide Car Rental and Worldwide Tours & Travel Inc. — violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) when it failed to pay for all hours of work and for made improper deductions.

The division also determined the employer did not combine hours worked across multiple locations and failed to keep accurate records. The failure to count hours worked before and after shifts and to combine hours worked at multiple locations resulted in overtime violations when employees worked more than 40 hours per week.

 “Solid Corp. failed to record, count and pay workers for all their time they worked and shortchanged them of their lawfully earned wages,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Terence Trotter in Honolulu.

“The employer also did not combine all hours worked by staff at their various locations throughout the workweek for overtime purposes. We encourage all employers to review their pay practices and to contact us for information about how to avoid violations.”

The Wage and Hour Division is committed to protecting and enhancing the welfare of workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fiscal year 2021, the division helped more than 190,000 workers and recovered more than $230 million in total back wages.

For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, contact the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions – regardless of their immigration status – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages.

BACKGROUND

A google of Solid Corporation in American Samoa identifies it as an industry offering the following services — Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities. It is noted as being located in Nuuuli. In June 2020, it received a Coronavirus-related Paycheck Protection loan (PPP loan) from the Small Business Agency (SBA). Owners of the local corporation are not listed.]