Current:Home > FinanceFeds penalize auto shop owner who dumped 91,000 greasy pennies in ex-worker's driveway-LoTradeCoin
Feds penalize auto shop owner who dumped 91,000 greasy pennies in ex-worker's driveway
View Date:2024-12-24 10:36:19
One boss got so angry after a former employee contacted government labor regulators about a missing paycheck that he delivered the money in the form of 91,000 greasy pennies dropped on the worker's driveway.
Now, the Labor Department has found that Miles Walker, the owner of A OK Walker Autoworks in Peachtree City, Georgia, retaliated against the worker by dumping the coins and by trashing the employee on the business' website, according to a recently concluded investigation.
According to legal filings, the drama started when Andreas Flaten, who had left his job at the auto shop in 2021, called the Labor Department to complain that he had never received his last paycheck. After the agency contacted the shop to inquire about the payment, Walker responded by delivering the payment in pennies.
Payback in pennies
Two months later, on March 12, 2021, Walker dumped the oil-covered pennies in Flaten's driveway, along with a pay statement with an expletive written on it. It's unknown how the owner delivered the greasy penny pile, which would weigh about 500 pounds.
According to the Labor Department, the auto shop also posted a statement on its website calling the penny dump "a gotcha to a subpar ex-employee" and suggesting he deserved it. "Let us just say that maybe he stole? Maybe he killed a dog? Maybe he killed a cat? Maybe he was lazy? Maybe he was a butcher? . . . know that no one would go to the trouble we did to make a point without being motivated," the posting read, according to the agency's complaint.
The posting has since been removed, although the shop's website now contains a disclaimer to disregard reviews written between March and July of 2021. "After the pennies issue went viral the kids in the basement fabricated tons of fake reviews," the shop said.
The Labor Department sued A OK Walker Autoworks, claiming that Walker and his business retaliated against Flaten, which is illegal under federal labor law. The agency also alleged that Walker broke overtime laws by not paying at least nine workers time-and-a-half for labor exceeding 40 hours in a week.
Back pay and damages
Under a consent judgment filed last week, the shop must pay $39,000 in back pay and damages to the workers who should've been paid overtime. The individual payouts range from $192 to $14,640. Flaten, who could not immediately be reached for comment, is in line to get $8,690.
The auto shop must permanently take down all written material about, and photos of, Flaten, according to the consent order. It must also post the order in a conspicuous place on its premises.
"By law, worker engagement with the U.S. Department of Labor is a protected activity. Workers should not fear harassment or intimidation in the workplace," Tremelle Howard, regional solicitor for the Department of Labor, said in a statement.
Reached for comment, Miles Walker said, "I have nothing to say to any reporter breathing today."
- In:
- United States Department of Labor
veryGood! (249)
Related
- A Pipeline Runs Through It
- Feds penalize auto shop owner who dumped 91,000 greasy pennies in ex-worker's driveway
- Horoscopes Today, July 22, 2023
- Italian Oil Company Passes Last Hurdle to Start Drilling in U.S. Arctic Waters
- NASCAR Cup Series Championship race 2024: Start time, TV, live stream, odds, lineup
- Think Covid-19 Disrupted the Food Chain? Wait and See What Climate Change Will Do
- The pandemic-era rule that lets you get telehealth prescriptions just got extended
- Is there a 'healthiest' soda? Not really, but there are some alternatives you should consider.
- Democrat George Whitesides wins election to US House, beating incumbent Mike Garcia
- Assault suspect who allegedly wrote So I raped you on Facebook still on the run 2 years after charges were filed
Ranking
- Video shows Starlink satellite that resembled fireball breaking up over the Southwest: Watch
- Q&A With SolarCity’s Chief: There Is No Cost to Solar Energy, Only Savings
- 'It's not for the faint-hearted' — the story of India's intrepid women seaweed divers
- Across America, Activists Work at the Confluence of LGBTQ Rights and Climate Justice
- Keke Palmer Says Ryan Murphy “Ripped” Into Her Over Scream Queens Schedule
- Car rams into 4 fans outside White Sox ballpark in Chicago
- Looking for a refreshing boost this summer? Try lemon water.
- The Climate Change Health Risks Facing a Child Born Today: A Tale of Two Futures
Recommendation
-
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul VIP fight package costs a whopping $2M. Here's who bought it.
-
Car rams into 4 fans outside White Sox ballpark in Chicago
-
Crushed by Covid-19, Airlines Lobby for a Break on Emissions Offsets
-
A plastic sheet with a pouch could be a 'game changer' for maternal mortality
-
DWTS’ Sasha Farber and Jenn Tran Prove They're Closer Than Ever Amid Romance Rumors
-
For Some California Farmers, a Virus-Driven Drop in Emissions Could Set Back Their Climate Efforts
-
These states are narrowly defining who is 'female' and 'male' in law
-
One way to prevent gun violence? Treat it as a public health issue