Professional Liability = PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!
Urgent Dental Center Avon LLC of Indianapolis AND their HR manager have been ordered to pay a total of $22,160 in damages and back wages for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s anti-retaliation provisions.
According to an August 22nd judgment by Judge Richard L. Young of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Urgent Dental Center and a human resources manager retaliated against an employee who filed a complaint with the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division alleging wage violations.
The DOL’s investigation found that after the employee filed the complaint, they faced increased disciplinary write-ups, negative comments from management, and wrongful termination shortly after contacting the Wage and Hour Division.
Judge Young ordered the company to pay the former employee $12,160 in back wages and liquidated damages. The judge also ordered Urgent Dental Center to pay an additional $10,000 in punitive damages for the egregious retaliation.
“Workers have the right to file complaints without fear of retaliation,” said Wage and Hour District Director Aaron Loomis. “The judge found that Urgent Dental Center Avon LLC and a manager there violated an employee’s right to question the employer’s pay practices, and then retaliated against them illegally. Every U.S. worker has the right to be paid fully for the hours they work and to engage in protected activities.”
The consent judgment resolves a complaint filed by the Department of Labor in April 2023 after completing an investigation into the company’s pay practices and retaliation. Employers should ensure they comply with all FLSA provisions, including anti-retaliation protections for workers who assert their rights.
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