From The Knoxville News Sentinel
Feds Crack Down on Hotel Labor Violations in Tennessee
The federal government is cracking down on labor violations at Tennessee hotels.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that a multiyear enforcement initiative focused on the Tennessee lodging industry has found widespread noncompliance with minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In a news release, the agency said it found violations at 35 Tennessee establishments in the fiscal year that ended at the beginning of October, and that employers were hit with $14,552 in civil money penalties for repeat FLSA and child labor violations. The release also said back wages totaling $173,045 were recovered for 283 employees. Violations included charging employees more than a reasonable cost for lodging, which caused their pay to fall below the $7.25 an hour minimum wage; paying housekeepers by the room, with the same result; and misclassifying employees as independent contractors. Click here for the full story.