A San Diego merchandise company that printed T-shirts for Britney Spears, The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga and other music stars violated federal labor laws when it skimped on employees overtime pay, according to investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor.
In a statement Monday (May 9), the federal agency’s Wage and Hour Division said an investigation revealed that King Graphics – a San Diego shop that produces silk-screen T-shirts and other merchandise – had failed to pay proper overtime to more than 70 of its employees.
To resolve those accusations, the DOL said King Graphics agreed to pay nearly $270,000 in backpay and damages to workers affected, plus another $10,000 in civil penalties.
“Celebrities, retailers and manufacturers profit from T-shirts sold for $40 or more, while the low-wage workers who produce the merchandise work overtime to meet consumer demand and become victims of wage theft,” division head Jessica Looman said. “The Wage and Hour Division will continue to hold employers accountable and use every available tool to ensure that workers are paid in compliance with the law.”
The company also helped create merchandise for Willie Nelson and Ariana Grande, investigators said.
In technical terms, the DOL accused King Graphics of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act, the federal statute requiring that hourly workers be paid time-and-a-half for any work beyond the standard 40-hour work week.
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