AKRON, OH – Federal wage investigators have recovered $67,294 in unpaid wages for 29 workers after their Akron employer, a tire equipment maker, allowed them to work for months without pay.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found McNeil and NRM Inc. failed to pay workers for two-and-one-half months in 2022. The Fair Labor Standards Act mandates that wages are due on the regular payday for the pay period covered.

“Workers cannot be expected to bear the burden of the employer’s financial issues which, in this case, left them wondering if or when they would be paid,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Matthew Utley in Columbus, Ohio. “Workers have a right to be paid on their regularly scheduled pay day so that they can meet their financial obligations and care for themselves and their families. Any worker not getting paid should contact the Wage and Hour Division immediately.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that about 510,000 job openings among durable goods manufacturers existed in June 2022, and about 166,000 workers quit their jobs in the sector. In the current climate, employers face significant competition to fill their positions as workers have more choices about their employment.

“Employers who fail to respect workers’ rights are likely to find it more difficult to retain and recruit the people they need to operate their businesses,” Utley explained. “Employers who treat workers with dignity and who comply with federal protections for workers will have a competitive advantage.”

McNeil and NRM Inc.’s Akron facility designs tire production equipment for automobile and truck tires that the company manufactures at its plant in Bucharest, Romania.

Workers who have not received their check or believe that are not being paid correctly can reach out to the Wage and Hour Division to file an online complaint or contact the division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).

Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division.

Download the agency’s new Timesheet App for android devices to ensure hours and pay are accurate.