A Florida pest control company owed workers $175,500 after shorting them on earned pay

A pest control company that serves Orlando and Florida’s west coast, from Naples to Tampa, paid $175,587 in back wages and liquidated damages after it didn’t pay workers earned overtime, the U.S. Department of Labor announced.

That money went to 59 employees of Pest Eliminators, an average of $2,976.05 per employee.

Labor said the Wage and Hour Division investigation found that Pest Eliminators violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by not paying non-exempt workers who toiled more than 40 hours in a week. Also, the company didn’t include commissions when factoring in the overtime rate.

Also, the company knocked off time for lunch, whether or not the employee worked through lunch.

Pest Eliminators, which state records say is run by president Conrad Burns and vice president Conrad Burns II, didn’t return a message from the Miami Herald.

“Many employers are under the misconception that salaried employees are not entitled to overtime pay,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Nicolas Ratmiroff in Tampa, Florida. “When companies like Pest Eliminators get it wrong, the outcome could become costly.”

The Wage and Hour complaint section of Labor’s website contains information on how to file a complaint if you believe your employer has violated FLSA. Miami’s Wage and Hour Division office can be reached at 305-598-6607. The national helpline is 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).

No matter the immigration or citizenship status of workers, they can speak with the department, which says it can handle calls in more than 200 languages.