Now, this is just funny.
If it weren’t for a stupid law that outlaws people from pumping their own gas, American taxpayers wouldn’t have to foot the bill for this:
MOUNTAINSIDE, N.J. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division today announced an enforcement initiative focusing on New Jersey gas stations, at which the division previously found consistent and widespread noncompliance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. This initiative is part of the division’s goal to achieve sustainable and systemwide compliance in industries with high concentrations of vulnerable workers.
From 2007 to 2010, the division conducted nearly 100 investigations of New Jersey gas station employers, recovering more than $1.2 million in minimum wage and overtime back wages for 381 workers who were denied fair compensation for all hours of their work, in violation of the FLSA. These investigations also resulted in nearly $15,000 in civil money penalties assessed for FLSA violations.
“We have found that New Jersey gas stations are rife with violative pay practices such as paying workers a flat salary or ‘straight time’ wages for all hours, without regard to minimum wage and overtime requirements, or paying workers ‘off the books,’ rather than maintaining legally required payroll records,” said George Ference, regional administrator of the Wage and Hour Division in the Northeast. “The Labor Department will not allow gas station employers – many of whom operate under the banner of multibillion-dollar corporations – to exploit workers and deprive them of their hard-earned wages.”
New Jersey is one of only two remaining states in the country where motorists are barred from pumping their own gas, requiring gas stations to employ full-service attendants to operate gas pumps and provide other related customer services. The division is concerned about the large number of vulnerable gas station workers who are exposed to high levels of risk with respect to their wages and employment conditions, due to a variety of reasons including lack of legal knowledge or fear of job loss. As part of this initiative, the division will investigate gas stations to identify patterns of minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping violations. When violations are found, the division will vigorously pursue corrective action – including payment of back wages, civil money penalties and liquidated damages – to ensure accountability and deter future violations.
The division also will be conducting outreach to employer and employee associations, community organizations, government agencies, unions and other stakeholders to engage them in dialogue, solicit their input on enforcement strategies and encourage their participation in promoting compliance. The initiative will be led by the division’s Mountainside District Office; telephone 908-317-8611.
As if gas prices weren’t high enough…
To sum it all up: Stupid government creates a stupid law that stupid people break, only to have stupid government spend money to investigate.
Apparently, stupidity has no limits when it comes to government.
Here’s a thought: Let the people of New Jersey pump their own gas and save the rest of America’s taxpayers the expense.
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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776
