Subcontractor found to owe back wages
Sixty-five employees of M.H. Electric LLC will receive more than $305,000 in back wages and damages, by order of the U.S. Department of Labor.
An investigation determined that the Honolulu-based subcontractor violated federal wage and hour laws at 10 federally funded construction projects awarded by the Hawaii Air National Guard and the U.S. Departments of the Navy, Army and Veterans Affairs between 2012 and 2014.
"Federal contractors owe it to taxpayers to comply with all applicable laws, including paying their workers fairly and fully," Terence Trotter, district director for the Wage and Hour Division in Honolulu, said in a statement. "In this case, we appreciate the cooperation shown by M.H. Electric to help resolve the matter expeditiously and to commit to future compliance with applicable labor standards."
The financial award comprises $290,588 in back wages and $14,507 in back wages and damages for overtime violations.
According to the Labor Department the company failed to timely pay employees for overtime hours, instead banking the overtime at straight-time wage rates for future use as vacation or sick leave, or for use when employees worked fewer than 40 hours.
The company’s practice of deducting from workers’ pay the cost of gate passes for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam also was found to be illegal.
M.H. Electric also failed to maintain an appropriate ratio of experienced electricians to lower-paid apprentices at the federal sites, investigators found, in violation of laws regulating federal contracts, according to the department statement.
Hawaiian Airlines’ passenger traffic up
Hawaiian Airlines’ passenger traffic rose 2.9 percent in January even though it filled fewer of its seats than a year ago.
The state’s largest carrier said Monday it transported 848,567 people last month compared with 824,824 in the year-earlier period. Hawaiian’s load factor, or the percentage of seats filled, dropped 3.5 percentage points to 78.2 percent from 81.7 percent. Revenue passenger miles, or one paying passenger transported one mile, rose 1.1 percent to 1.2 million from 1.1 million. Available seat miles, or one seat transported one mile, increased 5.6 percent to 1.5 million from 1.4 million.
Starwood names communications head
Stephanie Dowling, who joined Starwood Hotels in 2006, has been promoted to the position of director of communications for the Hawaii region.
In her new role, Dowling will lead the public relations team and the in-house advertising agency for Starwood’s 11 properties on four islands.
"Stephanie is a proven leader with nearly 10 years at Starwood. Since joining our Hawaii regional team, Stephanie has elevated our public relations program to a more strategic approach. With her extensive background in both public relations and advertising, this is a natural decision and will be a smooth transition," said Harris Chan, Starwood Hotels & Resorts vice president of operations for Hawaii and French Polynesia.
Dowling, who most recently served as regional director of public relations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii, has nearly 20 years of experience in communications, public relations and marketing.
Dowling was nominated for two National Emmy Awards for work as a senior researcher and field producer with "NBC Nightly News With Tom Brokaw." She also has managed and directed public relations and marketing for Tommy Hilfiger-USA, GoDaddy, The Fresh Air Fund and The Art Institute of Phoenix.
Crash victims’ families to collect millions
DETROIT » The families of 52 people killed in crashes caused by faulty General Motors small-car ignition switches will receive millions in compensation from a company fund.
The new total, which is one more than last week, was posted Monday on an Internet site by compensation expert Kenneth Feinberg.
Each death claim is worth at least $1 million under guidelines established by Feinberg, who was hired by GM to handle claims and make payments.
As of Friday the fund received 4,237 claims for deaths and injuries. In addition to the death claims, Feinberg has deemed 79 injury claims eligible for compensation. The deadline for filing claims was Jan. 31, and another 57 claims arrived last week that were postmarked by the deadline.
ON THE MOVE
The Hawaii Pest Control Association has elected Wayne Koide of Environ Control as president for 2015. Other officers include Knut Peacock, first vice president; Tammy Murray, second vice president; David Lau, third vice president; Carlton Agena, secretary; and John Baraquio, treasurer.
Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel has announced the hiring of two associates:
>> Lisa Y. Tellio practices in the areas of estates and trusts. Prior to joining the firm, she was a law clerk for Derrick H.M. Chan, the state’s chief judge of the First Circuit, as well as for then-Circuit Judge Colleen K. Hirai. After her clerkships, Tellio was a transactional associate at a Honolulu law firm focusing on real property, trusts and estates, and bankruptcy law.
>> Jennifer F. Chin concentrates her practice in real estate transactions. She previously clerked for U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel of the Southern District of California. While going to law school, Chin served her externship with Judge Richard Clifton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. She also helped clients as a student attorney in the University of California at Irvine School of Law Family Violence and Immigrant Rights clinics.
