Tennessee Landscape Company gets a $450,000 back wages bill
In recent news, a Landscape company in middle TN that the U.S. Department of Labor believes to have “failed to ensure that their employees received the minimum federal wages and overtime payments as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act”, has agreed to pay $450,000 in back wages to eighty-one employees. According to the news release and other reports, the company, Peach Tree Maintenance Inc. employed both local and foreign workers. Twenty-four of the employees were hired based on the Federal H-2B program that permits employers to hire foreign workers to meet a temporary need for non-professional, and nonagricultural workers”. Also, according to the Department of Labor eighty-one of these employees “were due a total of $433,995 in back wages because they were either paid a flat rate daily without overtime or paid straight time for all hours worked over forty per week”. Twenty-four of these employees were also required to pay their own transportation costs from Guatemala which leads to a reduction in their pay below the federal minimum wage.
During the investigation, it was realized that these employees were an additional $15, 481 in back wages. Employers are required under FLSA to pay minimum wage, overtime payment, and to keep all accurate records of all hours worked for a two-year period. The FLSA requirements to pay minimum wage and overtime are not discritionary. According to their website, Peach Tree Maintenance Inc is located in Lascassas, Tenn., and provides services to the Middle Tennessee area.
If you have an overtime or mimum wage question please feel to contact the employment law section of The Higgins Firm. We will be glad to discuss your claim in confidence.
Author Bio
Jim Higgins, founder of the Higgins Firm, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with deep roots in Nashville, Tennessee. A 4th generation Nashvillian, Jim carries on the legal legacy of his father, a judge for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Memphis School of Law, Jim’s career began on the other side of the courtroom, defending insurance companies and learning their tactics for minimizing settlements. However, he soon realized his true calling was fighting for the rights of the injured, and for the past several years, he has exclusively represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Since then, his dedication and skill have earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have secured million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Licensed to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, Jim focuses on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. His exceptional work has been recognized by his peers, earning him a spot on the Super Lawyers list from 2021 to 2024, a distinction awarded to only a select group of accomplished attorneys in each state.
