Salem firefighting contractor fined for labor violations

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A Salem wildland-firefighting and roofing company has been hit with a hefty fine after violating overtime and record-keeping laws and hiring underage workers.

The Statesman Journal reports West Coast Reforestation Inc. will have to pay over $73,000 to 26 employees for overtime violations and another $7,200 in civil penalties for disobeying child labor requirements.

The Department of Labor’s Regional Public Affairs Director Leo Kay says the violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act happened between January 2017 and January 2019.

Kays says the company signed an informal settlement agreeing to pay the fines.

Wage and Hour Division investigators found among other violations that the company didn’t keep accurate time records and illegally hired four employees under 18 to work on roofs.

West Coast Reforestation said in a statement that they have corrected errors and will fully cooperate with the Department of Labor.