Federal investigators have recovered $158,096 in back wages and damages owed to 91 warehouse workers in Buena Park who were wrongfully classified as independent contractors.
A U.S. Department of Labor investigation said DRE Health Corp., which operates as DRE WorldMask USA Ltd., violated the Fair Labor Standards Act when it wrongfully misclassified the employees, failing to pay them wages and overtime pay they earned.
Based in Overland Park, Kansas, DRE Health is a manufacturer of medical products, including laboratory and surgical supplies, gloves, anesthesia equipment and hospital bedding. The company operates offices globally and has manufacturing facilities in several countries.
The Labor Department’s investigation led to the recovery of $79,048 in back wages and an equal amount in damages for the workers. Another $4,936 in penalties were levied against the employer.
The violations occurred in December 2021, officials said. They were brought to the Department of Labor’s attention in January, and the investigation was resolved in February.
The company “exploited vulnerable workers,” said Eric Murray, district director for the department’s Wage and Hour Division in San Diego. “This harmed the workers and their families.”
In 2021’s fiscal year, the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division said it helped more than 190,000 workers, recovering more than $230 million in total back wages.
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