Manufacturer to pay back wages after firing workers who requested coronavirus sick leave

Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Rogar Manufacturing – a cable and wire harness manufacturer in San Jose, California – will pay USD 41,214 in back wages to 17 employees for wrongly denying the employees’ requests for paid sick leave for coronavirus-related reasons. The employer’s action resulted in a violation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), according a press release from the U.S. Department of Labor. The investigation disclosed that Rogar Manufacturing terminated the workers who were eligible for paid leave under the FFCRA when they attempted to use that leave. In response to the WHD investigation, Rogar suspended all disciplinary actions, agreed to pay the back wages found due and honored FFCRA leave for all eligible workers upon request.