Bellinger Parts Group Inc., operating as NAPA Auto Parts in Florence, SC, made illegal deductions from employees’ pay at six South Carolina store locations for store damage, cash register shortages and uniforms, causing some workers’ pay to fall below the $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage for all hours worked, a Fair Labor Standards Act violation, the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division said.
Investigators also found Bellinger Parts Group failed to pay non-exempt salary counter salespeople and delivery drivers overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, and did not include non-discretionary sales bonuses in some employees’ regular rate when calculating correct overtime rates, causing them to pay overtime premiums at rates lower than required by law.
The federal agency recovered recovered $66,322 in back wages for 20 workers.
The sites investigated included NAPA Auto Parts stores in Darlington, Dillon, Effingham, Florence, Hartsville and Marion, SC.
“Employers who deny workers their full earnings make it harder for employees to provide for themselves and their families and give these employers an unfair advantage over law-abiding competitors,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel in Columbia, SC. “Other employers should use the outcome of this investigation as a reminder to review their pay practices to make certain they avoid violations that have costly consequences.”
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
