FORT WORTH, Texas — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour division says it’s recovered back wages for 21 employees of a 7-Eleven in downtown Fort Worth and that wages and penalties total nearly $56,000.
Gaston Group, the owner of the convenience store in the 1400 block of W. 7th Street, allegedly failed to pay 21 employees for hours worked beyond their regular schedule, leading to minimum wage and overtime violations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The employer paid salary non-exempt employees straight time for all hours, including those over 40 in a work week, and failed to keep accurate records as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act, officials say.
Back wages owed amounted to $20,914, damages amounted to $20,914 and civil penalties totaled $13,965, officials say.
“Employees must be paid for all hours actually worked not just those that an employer schedules them to work,” said Dallas-based Wage and Hour District Director Jesus A. Valdez. “Employers who have questions or concerns about what are considered hours worked are encouraged to contact us for assistance.”
Investigations by the Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $275 million in back wages for nearly 163,000 workers in fiscal year 2023, they said.
7-Eleven, which has its roots in Dallas, now has more than 8,000 locations across the country and is in 18 countries, according to their website.
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