PITTSBURGH – A federal court is requiring a Pittsburgh staffing agency and its owner to pay $208,044 in back wages and liquidated damages to 96 home health workers misclassified as independent contractors by the employer who, in turn, failed to pay them their full wages.

The action comes in response to the U.S. Department of Labor’s request for summary judgment in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against Reliable Home Health Limited. In granting the request, the court has resolved contested litigation begun by the department’s Office of the Solicitor in November 2021.

The litigation and decision follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division of the staffing company, which operates as Reliable Home Health. Investigators found, and litigation established, that the company and its owner Ali Mohamed misclassified the affected workers as independent contractors and shortchanged their hard-earned wages as a result. Specifically, the division determined the employers:

– Failed to pay one employee for three separate 8-hour shifts over a 2-week period.

• Paid straight-time rates instead of the required rate of time-and-one-half for hours over 40 in a workweek, and paid overtime wages only for hours over 80 in a bi-weekly pay period.
• Did not pay overtime on non-discretionary bonuses given as various pre-announced incentives.
• Failed to maintain payroll and timekeeping records as required.

“Hard-working home care aides provide people...

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