DOL recovers $122,000 in back wages for 140 HVAC workers

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has recovered just over $122,000 in back wages for 140 workers from a Mississippi-based HVAC and electrical company, the agency announced Wednesday. 

What’s happening: The DOL found that AirSouth LLC, operating as AirSouth Cooling and Heating, did not include non-discretionary bonuses when calculating overtime wages for workers, and failed to issue final paychecks to two employees — violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.  

What they’re saying: “The U.S. Department of Labor is dedicated to ensuring that workers receive the wages they have rightfully earned,” said Audrey Hall, district director of the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division. 

• “This case serves as an important reminder for employers to review and assess their pay practices to help prevent violations,” she added. 

State of play: AirSouth had grown from a one-man operation in 2015 to 68 trucks and 128 employees as of 2023, a local news outlet reported at the time. 

• Reached by phone, a company executive declined to comment.