Granger business owner ordered to pay back wages in preliminary injunction
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A federal judge has ordered the owner of dozens of Mega Liquor & Smoke stores to pay nearly $355,000 in back wages and damages to 156 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Judge Damon Leichty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana in South Bend issued a preliminary injunction Thursday against Bhola Singh, owner of Vishav Inc. in Granger, which does business as Mega Liquor & Smoke.
The injunction follows a lawsuit filed in late February that alleged Singh retaliated against and intimidated employees who were owed back wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The DOL said Singh “engaged in an ongoing scheme to deprive current and former employees of the money owed by using threats, intimidation and coercion,” even after a settlement agreement to pay the back wages was signed last September.
Singh owns and operates 61 Mega Liquor & Smoke stores in Indiana and Michigan. He could not be reached for comment on the preliminary injunction.
The injunction orders Singh to pay $354,633 in back wages in damages, as agreed upon in the original settlement. Court documents indicate about half of that amount has already been paid 90 current and former employees.
The remaining amount, totaling more than $171,000, was paid to the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, which will distribute the money to the employees who have not received the full amount they are owed under the settlement agreement.
The DOL said Singh agreed to immediately stop retaliating against workers who cooperated with investigators. Under the order, he must provide the court with an accurate accounting of back wages paid and received by employees within 90 days.
“The court is holding Bhola Singh accountable for his illegal tactics to stop employees from receiving the back wages and damages they’re owed,” Regional Solicitor of Labor Christine Heri in Chicago said in a news release. “Employers should know that we will use every available legal resource to protect workers and end illegal and retaliatory practices by employers.”
Additionally, Singh was ordered to post a statement within three days and play a recorded video message within seven days to inform workers of their right to cooperate with federal wage investigators and notify them that he is subject to a federal lawsuit for retaliating against workers and failing to pay required wages.