US Department of Labor recovers $1.7M in back wages for 1,666 hourly employees denied overtime by multi-trade contractor

FRANKLIN, TN - The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $1,730,598 in back wages for 1,666 workers after an investigation found that a multi-trade contractor failed to pay them their full wages, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Investigators with the department's Wage and Hour Divisiondiscovered that The State Group Industrial (USA) Ltd. Inc. violated the FLSA's overtime provisions when it did not include incentive bonuses in the regular rate of pay for 1,666 hourly employees working at the Ford Motor Co.'s electric vehicle and battery manufacturing campus in Stanton, Tennessee. As a result, employees were not paid the full overtime premium required for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek.

"The State Group violated federal law when it excluded bonuses from its overtime calculations, averaging more than $1,000 in back wages owed to each employee," stated Wage and Hour Division Administrator Andrew Rogers. "Our investigators remain committed to obtaining appropriate remedies for workers who are not paid as the law requires and driving long term compliance to prevent violations in the future."

Employers and workers can call the division with questions and requests for compliance assistance through the agency's toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Employers are encouraged to use the agency's opinion letters to learn about their legal obligations, including two opinion letters issued in 2025 and 2026 that address whether certain payments must be included in an employee's regular rate of pay when calculating overtime premiums under the FLSA. The agency's PAID program offers employers an opportunity to self-report and resolve potential minimum wage and overtime violations under the FLSA, as well as certain potential violations under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool that workers can use if they think they may be owed back wages collected by the division. Download the agency's free timesheet app for iOS and Android devices to track hours and pay.