Critchfield Pacific Inc., a San Jose, Calif., air conditioning company, paid 58 workers $99,681 in back wages after a U.S. Labor Department investigation showed Critchfield underpaid workers at two Oahu work sites.

"The subcontractor improperly categorized employees as lower-paid maintenance workers rather than using job titles for those doing plumbing and pipe-fitting work at the Schofield Barracks and Kunia job sites on Oahu," the Department of Labor said in a news release Tuesday. "Critchfield exceeded the ratio of lower-paid apprentices to experienced plumbers and sheet-metal workers. The company also failed to pay employees for time spent at mandatory safety meetings in advance of their scheduled work shifts at Schofield Barracks."

Terence Trotter, district director for the Wage and Hour Division in Honolulu, said: "Federal contractors owe it to taxpayers to comply with all applicable laws, including paying their workers fairly and fully, in accordance with the government contract. In this case, we appreciate the cooperation by Critchfield Pacific and their endorsement of an action plan that promotes future compliance with relevant labor standards."

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay, including commissions, bonuses and incentive pay, for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers are required to maintain accurate time and payroll records.

For more information, contact the Wage and Hour Division’s Honolulu District Office at 541-1360 or call the division’s toll-free help line at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).

Information also is available at dol.gov/whd.