NJ Drywall Firm Ordered to Pay $725K for Overtime Violations
A federal court ordered P & B Partitions Inc. to pay $725,000 after 48 workers were denied overtime pay for pre-shift wait time.
A New Jersey drywall installation company must pay $725,000 in back wages, damages, and penalties after a federal court found it had denied overtime compensation to 48 employees, the U.S. Department of Labor announced.
The Wage and Hour Division determined that Voorhees-based P & B Partitions Inc. failed to compensate workers for time spent waiting before shifts for transportation to job sites — an obligation required under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The consent judgment and final order was entered June 26, 2026, in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Read more Court Shuts Down Debt Relief Scam Targeting Seniors, Veterans →
Under the terms of the judgment, the company must pay $350,000 in back wages and an equal $350,000 in liquidated damages to affected workers, along with $25,000 in civil money penalties. Liquidated damages, which effectively double the back-pay award, are a standard FLSA remedy designed to compensate workers for the delayed receipt of wages they were legally owed.
"Tasks completed to prepare for the job, and in this case, while waiting to get to the worksite, is work that must be compensated," said Wage and Hour Division District Director Charlene Rachor. Regional Solicitor of Labor Jeffrey S. Rogoff added that the case illustrates the costly legal exposure employers face when they fail to comply with federal wage law.
The Labor Department noted that employers can self-report potential wage violations through its PAID program to resolve issues before enforcement actions are initiated. Workers who believe they are owed back wages can search the agency's database or contact the Wage and Hour Division's toll-free helpline at 866-487-9243. Continue reading at DOL News Releases and Briefs.
