Keep on Truckin’
Posted on 30-Jun-09 by The Timekeeper
Newark, NJ based company S. Cooper Brothers Trucking Inc. and two of its corporate officers have reportedly agreed to pay $140,883 in back wages, fines and interest to resolve a lawsuit filed by the U.S. DOL alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the allegations, the company failed to pay workers for overtime when they worked over 40 hours per week, and failed to keep adequate records of employee time worked. Same old song, there, really.
What makes this case worthy of note in my book is that — although the company is incorporated — both the owner, Sonnie L. Cooper, and the corporate secretary, Margarette Cooper, were individually named and are individually liable (along with the company itself) as part of the lawsuit and settlement.
Apparently, just because a company is incorporated, this doesn’t mean the owners can necessarily get off scott-free in the event there’s something untoward going on with wage and hour issues. Seems one can’t always hide behind the “corporate veil” when questions of managerial wrong-doing come up.
Good thing to keep in mind.
So, small business owners, what are you doing to keep yourself protected? Incorporation alone won’t do it. What sort of time and attendance tracking are you doing? How are you making sure you’re in compliance with the FLSA and other wage and hour laws?
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