California Labor Commissioner Issues Additional $616,250 Citation in Riverside County Warehouse Case

JURUPA VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su today issued additional citations totaling over $600,000 to Premier Warehousing Ventures, LLC for violations discovered during an October 12, 2011 inspection of Schneider Logistics.

The citation was issued for Premier Warehousing's failure to provide employees proper wage statements. California Labor Code 226 requires that employers furnish an accurate itemized statement with employees' paychecks that includes detail on the total hours worked, hourly pay, piece rates if piece rate pay is utilized, deductions and other wage information.

The Labor Commissioner also cited Premier Warehousing for failure to keep payroll records in California, a requirement under state law. 

"We hope this citation sends a message to all employers in California that when the failure to keep and provide records as required by law is part of a concerted effort to deny workers their hard-earned wages, we will not tolerate it," said California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su.

Failure to provide itemized wage statements to workers makes up $601,000 of the total citations issued today.  The failure to keep records at the place of employment or at another location in California was only calculated for one pay period, resulting in $15,250.

"California laws provide the basic level of protections for workers and employers have a responsibility to comply with these minimum standards," said Department of Industrial Relations Acting Director Christine Baker. "Employers will be held accountable for violations of the law that unfairly deprive workers of their rights and that create an unfair competitive advantage over law abiding employers."

At the original inspection on October 12, Premier Warehousing was issued a Notice to Discontinue reporting time violations and other violations.  A $499,000 citation was also issued to another employer, Impact Logistics, Inc., that employed warehouse workers at Schneider Logistics.  Both Premier Warehousing and Impact Logistics utilized a piece rate system for paying workers.

"It is the strong public policy of this state that workers are entitled to know what they have earned," said Su. "Information is power, and when it comes to wages, that information must be transparent and shared.   When an employer chooses to pay by the piece, this is even more critical.  Employers cannot simply make up a piece rate and change it at their whim. "

Investigations of other violations, including failure to pay for reporting time and stand-by time, illegal deductions of the workers' pay, as well as the relationship between Schneider Logistics and the two agencies that have already been cited, are ongoing.

The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement adjudicates wage claims, investigate discrimination and public works complains, and enforces state labor law and Industrial Welfare Commission wage orders. To learn more about the functions of the California Labor Commissioner, visit www.dir.ca.gov/dlse.

Employees that have work-related questions or complaints can call the California Workers' Information Hotline at 1-866-924-9757.

CONTACT:
Erika Monterroza
Dean Fryer
(510) 286-1161

Internet: www.dir.ca.gov

SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations