Over $2 Million In Back Wages Paid To SJ Gas Attendants: Cops

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 gas stations in South Jersey since January of 2017, authorities announced this week. New Jersey is the only state in which drivers aren’t allowed by law to pump their own gas. Gas stations in New Jersey employ full-service gas station attendants to operate gas pumps and provide related customer services.

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, authorities said.

The owners also failed to accurately maintain accurate time and payroll records, as required by law. In fact, one owner of six South Jersey gas stations was ordered to pay $1,471,024 in back wages and damages to 24 gas station attendants to resolve violations, authorities said.

“The Wage and Hour Division works to ensure that employees receive the wages they have rightfully earned,” WHD South Jersey District Office Director Charlene Rachor said. “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.”

The attendants who received back wages and damages were employed at the following gas stations:

- Citgo, 469 S. Lenola Road in Moorestown;
- Citgo, 400 NJ-38 in Maple Shade;
- Citgo, 2006 Mount Holly Road in Burlington;
- Citgo, 1510 NJ-38 in Cherry Hill;
- Citgo, 102 Washington Crossing Road in Pennington;
- Citgo – Pitman, 690 Delsea Drive in Pitman;
- Gasco Yardville – 4364 S. Broad St. in Trenton;
- Gasco Greenwood – 1761 Greenwood Ave. in Trenton;
- Gasco Tri Star – 1685 Nottingham Way in Trenton;
- Gasco Chambers – 1140 Chambers St. in Trenton;
- Gasco West Creek – 439 Route 9 in West Creek;
- Gasco Lambertville – 32 S. Franklin St. in Lambertville;
- Gasco Southampton – 2344 Route 206 in Vincentown;
- Gasco Barnegat – 282 Route 72 in Barnegat;
- Gasco Morrisville – 999 West Trenton Ave. in Morrisville, PA;
- Lukoil, 2225 Admiral Wilson Blvd. in Merchantville;
- USA Gas, 206 Hanover St. in Pemberton;
- USA Gas, 106 W. Main St. in Maple Shade;
- USA Gas, 402 Landis Ave. in Vineland;
- USA Gas, 3970 N. Delsea Drive in Newfield;
- USA Gas, 47 Chestnut St. in Elmer;
- USA Gas - Mt. Holly – 2523 Route 206 in Mt. Holly;
- Valero, 554 River Road in Fair Haven;
- Valero, 65 N. Blackhorse Pike in Bellmawr; and
- Xtra Power Gas, 1 E Evesham Road in Voorhees.

For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the Division, contact its toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at http://www.dol.gov/whd including a search tool for those who think they may be owed back wages collected by the Division.

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