ATLANTA (WTXL) — The United States Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in Atlanta determined a cotton gin business in Decatur County, Georgia committed wage violations.
According to a news release by the U.S. Department of Labor on Jan. 10, Sowega Cotton Gin and Warehouse in Climax, Georgia was one of multiple cotton gin businesses in the southeast United States required to pay back wages or fined by the department of labor.
According to documents obtain from the U.S. Department of Labor via a public record request, Sowega Cotton Gin and Warehouse failed to pay proper overtime to workers, which added to 11 violations.
Due to the violations in overtime pay, the business was cited for one violation for failure to keep accurate records.
The department of labor investigated the gin via an office audit from Oct. 1, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2020.
The document notes Sowega Cotton Gin and Warehouse hired 11 non-immigrant workers, who were scheduled to work from Oct. 15, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2020.
The individuals were eligible to work up to 54 hours per week.
The document notes an investigator with the U.S. Department of Labor conducted a conference with Sowega Cotton Gin and Warehouse's human resources representative on Feb. 10, 2021.
During the conference, the government’s wage and hour investigator noted to the gin’s human resources representative that non-discretionary bonuses must be included in the regular rate in weeks where overtime was applicable.
Bonuses were paid...
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