Topeka, KS — Republican secretary of state nominee Pat Proctor is facing scrutiny over federal labor violations at his restaurant businesses after acknowledging that employees were denied legally required overtime pay.
The U.S. Department of Labor determined in 2016 that Baan Thai Restaurant Inc., co-owned by Proctor and his wife, owed 31 employees $93,008 for violations committed between 2014 and 2016. The amount included $79,133 in unpaid overtime and $13,875 connected to minimum-wage violations, according to Kansas Reflector. Federal law requires covered workers to receive overtime compensation when applicable.
Proctor recently told KMAN radio that he had not understood the applicable labor rules despite having operated restaurants for about a decade. He blamed the episode partly on government bureaucracy, saying a Labor Department official arrived with regulations his business “didn’t know about.”
Proctor acknowledged that he failed to track hours for salaried kitchen employees, meaning workers who exceeded 40 hours were not properly compensated.
Democratic opponent Jennifer Day criticized the record, arguing that someone seeking to oversee Kansas elections and business filings should demonstrate accountability for following laws.
Proctor said the experience inspired his proposal for a state website using artificial intelligence to help businesses understand government regulations.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
