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Maui retail store employee owed back wages after being denied leave to care for child during crisis

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A Maui retail store employee is owed $800 in back wages after being denied paid leave to care for the employee’s child whose school was closed because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, it determined that Mana Foods violated the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act when it denied the employee leave.

“The U.S. Department of Labor is working to protect employee rights and educate employers during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Terence Trotter, WHD director, in a news release. “We encourage employers and employees to call us for assistance to improve their understanding of the new requirements under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and use our educational online tools to avoid violations like those found in this case.”

In addition to the monetary payment, Mana Foods also agreed to display an FFCRA poster that details employer obligations and employee rights regarding coronavirus-related sick leave.

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