Department of Labor Sues Washington Prisons for Overtime Violations

The Washington State Department of Corrections has been sued by the U.S. Department of Labor for widespread violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.  According to published reports, the damages in the case will likely be millions of dollars.  After a three-year investigation, the Department of Labor believes that the state violated the rights of approximately 800 workers.  The suit alleges that probation officers, community corrections specialists, and office assistants were not paid overtime for working more than 40 hours in a week and that the DOC failed to maintain records of all hours worked.