The following press release was issued by the US Department of Labor's Boston Office:
U.S. Labor Department Partners with Hispanic Organization to Offer Ongoing Compliance Assistance to Hispanic Employers and Workers
NEW YORK – The U.S. Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division is partnering with Organizacion Latino Americana (OLA), an Hispanic community group, to offer ongoing compliance assistance to Hispanic employers and workers on the east end of Long Island.
According to Irv Miljoner, Long Island district director of the Wage and Hour Division, Spanish-speaking staff will be available at the Water Mill, N.Y., offices of OLA on the first Friday of each month to provide assistance to Hispanic workers and employers regarding federal wage and hour laws. This outreach is part of a local Wage and Hour Division special initiative -- Hispanic Employment Low-Wage Program (H.E.L.P.).
The primary law enforced by the Wage and Hour Division is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which requires that employees be paid at least the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one-half their regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 per week. In addition, the law sets standards for the employment of workers under age 18.
Employers must also maintain accurate records of employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment. The purpose of H.E.L.P. is to increase compliance with the FLSA by providing information to the rapidly growing Hispanic employment community on Long Island, including both employers and workers.
The OLA is located at 1152 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, NY. Spanish-speaking Wage and Hour Division staff will be available on the first Friday of every month to provide assistance.
The phone number for OLA is 631-726-OLA6 (631-726-6526).
The Long Island District Office of the Wage and Hour Division is located at 1400 Old Country Road, Suite 410, Westbury, NY, and the telephone number is 516-338-1890.
Additional information on the requirements of the FLSA may be obtained by calling the Labor Department’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at www.wagehour.dol.gov.
