An education and enforcement initiative conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has recovered $2,079,596 in back wages and liquidated damages for 87 attendants working at 25 southern New Jersey gas stations since January 2017. This payment resolves violations found during a series of investigations by the WHD.

WHD investigators found that the gas station owners violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by failing to pay attendants the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, and failing to pay overtime wages to employees when they worked more than 40 hours in a week. Additionally, the owners failed to maintain accurate time and payroll records, as required by law. WHD also assessed one owner of six gas stations a civil money penalty of $8,976 for willful violations.

“The Wage and Hour Division works to ensure that employees receive the wages they have rightfully earned,” said the Charlene Rachor, WHD’s Southern New Jersey District Office Director. “The Department of Labor will continue to monitor New Jersey’s gas station industry for compliance, and we encourage all employers to reach out to us for guidance. We offer many resources to provide employers the tools they need to understand their responsibilities and to comply with the law.”

New Jersey is the only U.S. state that bars motorists from pumping their own gas. Gas stations in New Jersey employ full-service gas station attendants to operate gas pumps and provide related customer services.