The United States Department of Labor announced that LinkedIn has agreed to pay $3,346,195 in overtime back wages and $2,509,646 in liquidated damages to 359 former and current employees. The money will go to people from the company’s California, Illinois, Nebraska and New York branches.
The DoL’s Wage and Hour Division investigated the company, finding that it violated the overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The company agreed to pay all overtime back wages and due, when notified about the violations. The company has apparently also taken steps to prevent violations from occurring in the future.
“LinkedIn failed to record, account and pay for all hours worked in a workweek, investigators found,” said the department. “In addition to paying back wages and liquidated damages, LinkedIn entered into an enhanced compliance agreement with the department that includes agreeing to: provide compliance training and distribute its policy prohibiting off-the-clock work to all nonexempt employees and their managers; meet with managers of current affected employees to remind them that overtime work must be recorded and paid for; and remind employees of LinkedIn’s policy prohibiting retaliation against any employee who raises concerns about workplace issues.”
“Off the clock’ hours are all too common for the American worker. This practice harms workers, denies them the wages they have rightfully earned and takes away time with families,” said Susana Blanco, district director for the division in San Francisco. “We urge all employers, large and small, to review their pay practices to ensure employees know their basic workplace rights and that the commitment to compliance works through all levels of the organization. The department is committed to protecting the rights of workers and leveling the playing field for all law-abiding employers.”
You would think the “professional” social network would know better. I guess it does now.
Image via LinkedIn