Posted on 28-Nov-07 by The Timekeeper

As a small business, you may think you’re too small to attract the attention of the state DOL investigators. That may be what the operators of some small poultry markets in Brooklyn, NY thought, too, but they recently learned that’s a dangerous assumption to make.

According to a press release issued by the New York State DOL, while investigating possible wage and hour violations at several larger poultry markets, investigators discovered violations at several smaller markets as well.

The release reports in some cases employees were working 12-hour days, seven days a week for only $400. For the record, that comes out to something like $4.76 an hour, which isn’t even up to the federal minimum wage of $5.85 an hour, much less New York’s state minimum of $7.15 an hour.

Back wages and penalties for these smaller markets ranged from $12,914 to $137,300 while the larger markets were assessed back wages and penalties ranging from $134,696 to $159.155. Now, I don’t know about you, but my budget would take a major hit even with the smallest of the penalties.

In the end, it seems pretty clear counting on being “too small to matter” is a dangerous (and potentially expensive) tactic. Better to just pay your employees according to the law right up front and avoid the penalties, eh?

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