An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor has led a popular local chain to pay thousands in back wages to several employees to resolve overtime violations.
The agency says Tuesday that Clover Fast Food Inc. and owner Ayr Muir have paid $79,338 in back wages and liquidated damages to 65 employees.
The agency's Wage and Hour Division found the Cambridge-based company paid some employees straight time instead of overtime when the worked more than 40 hours per week. The operator of several restaurants and food trucks failed to combine hours of individual employees at multiple locations when determining overtime payments, and also misclassified some salaried employees as being exempted from federal overtime requirements.
A call and emailed requests for comment from Muir went unanswered. The company's website says it has 12 restaurants, not including food trucks.
