The U.S. Department of Labor announced that Akal Security Inc. has agreed to pay seven of its K-9 handlers a total of $115,056 in back wages, representing unpaid overtime compensation required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The employer, headquartered in Espanola, N.M., contracts with the state of Hawaii to provide federally-certified explosive detection dog (K-9) handlers at the Honolulu International Airport.
“The investigation determined that Akai Security failed to pay seven K-9 handlers for their at-home care of the specially trained work dogs,” said Susana Rincon, district director for the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division in San Francisco. “In addition to the recovered back wages, the employer has paid a civil money penalty of $1,540 for repeat violations of the federal overtime requirements.”
The FLSA requires covered, nonexempt employees to be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $6.55 per hour for all hours worked, and time-and-one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records. A workweek includes all time during which an employee is necessarily required to be on the employer’s premises, on duty or at a prescribed work place. “Workday,” in general, means the period between the time on any particular day when such employee commences his/her “principal activity” and the time on that day at which he/she ceases such principal activity or activities. The workday may therefore be longer than the employee’s scheduled shift, hours, tour of duty or production line time.