Urgent Dental Center Avon and the human resources manager last month were ordered to pay $12,160 in back pay and liquidated damages and $10,000 in punitive damages. The case involves a DOL investigation that found the employee was subjected to more disciplinary write-ups and that management made disparaging comments about the employee to other colleagues after that employee filed a compliant with the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division.
“Workers have the right to file complaints without fear of retaliation,” said Aaron Loomis, Wage and Hour District Director in Indianapolis. “The judge found that Urgent Dental Center Avon LLC and a manager there violated an employee’s right to question the employer’s pay practices, and then retaliated against them illegally. Every U.S. worker has right to be paid fully for the hours they work and to engage in protected activities.”