$400K Owed In Overtime To Jersey Shore Lifeguards: Department Of Labor

JERSEY SHORE, NJ — Three Jersey Shore municipalities owe more than $400,000 in back wages to 347 lifeguards after a New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) investigation found that Atlantic City, the Borough of Avalon and Stone Harbor were not properly paying overtime.

“New Jersey’s lifeguards put their lives on the line for the safety of summer shore visitors, so it's our responsibility to ensure they receive all the wages they are entitled to,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “We will continue to make sure workers — especially young workers who may not yet understand their work rights — are being paid properly.”

Atlantic City lifeguards were only paid overtime after they reached 48 hours of work per week, not the 40-hour per week mark required under the law, according to NJDOL.

Investigators from the Department’s Division of Wage and Hour Compliance found that a total of 146 employees there were owed $197,150 in unpaid overtime, NJDOL said.

Additionally, 14 minors were working without a proper Employment Certificate, and the time-in/time-out was not being documented the for minor employees, as the law requires, NJDOL said.

In the Borough of Avalon, NJDOL said that lifeguards were paid a straight hourly rate for all hours worked, regardless of whether the workweek exceeded 40 hours. According to NJDOL, 125 lifeguards were owed $116,161 in overtime.

Additionally, seven minors were working without proper documentation, and their hours were not being documented, according to the investigation.

Similarly, the Stone Harbor Beach Patrol compensated lifeguards for hours worked, but were not including an overtime pay rate, NJDOL said. There, 76 employees were owed $94,114 in unpaid overtime wages, according to the investigation.

Five minor employees were working without proper Employment Certificates, and their time-in/time-out records were not maintained, NJDOL said.

Nearly all of the affected employees have received their back wages as a result of the investigation, according to NJDOL.

NJDOL said that is has been ramping up its worker protection and safety enforcement. This investigation follows inspections throughout July and August that issued violations to beach patrols throughout the Jersey Shore. Read More: Violations Issued To Jersey Shore Beaches After Lifeguard Deaths