U.S. Department of Labor Takes Legal Action to Compel Minnesota Business to Comply with Subpoenas in Wage Investigations

(KNSI) — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has filed a petition in federal court against a Minnesota business for allegedly withholding documents pertaining to the owner’s compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The papers were filed in the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, accusing 19&75 Filling Station LLC in Ivanhoe and its owner, Martin Sterzinger, of not turning over documents to determine compliance with the FLSA.

The FSLA allows the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate and obtain information about wages, hours and other employment practices and question employees to determine if an employer complies with federal law. Employers must comply with requests.

Prosecutors say Sterzinger agreed to meet with investigators but canceled and refused to respond to additional requests. They say he also failed to comply with an administrative subpoena to produce requested records by August 17th.

According to an email from the Wage and Hour Division, it chooses a business for compliance review based on factors that include those industries where violations are common. They say establishments that typically employ low-wage earning and vulnerable workers are usually chosen. They also act in response to complaints. Typically, wage compliance investigations review a two-year payroll period.

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