The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-05-23
Information Supplied
On Minimum Wage Ld1U

GASA@SA@
the purpose Of overtime Or part
time comutation?
A. Work-time Is reckcned TO the
nearest unit Of Is minutes. Thus
clerk who works 8 minutes Is en-
titled to pay for a quarter OF an
hour.
Enforcement
@. What Is the force Of the
mercantile wage order?
A. Like any order duly promul-
sRated under the minimum wage act,
it has the force Of statute law.
@. What is the enforcement
agency?
A, The state commissioner OF
labor and factory inspection, or the
director Of the minimum wage
division Of the state labor depart
ment acting for the Commissioner.
@. What records are required9
A. The law requires "a true and
accurate record Of the hours and
wages Of each employe: but this is
an obligation which all employers
are bound by anyway. The nlercan-
tile wage order calls for records Gin
the form approved by the Commits
sdoner."
O. What form does the Com
missioner require?
A The information required for
enforcement is the twice-daily "in-
and-out" record, and the weekly
record Of total hours, base rate Of
pay, total straight-tine earnings,
total overtime earnings, deductions,
and net wage. For establishments
using time clocks or time shets
which disclose this information, 1t is
sufficient that they preserve the
records for the required period. For
others, the Department has APP
proved an "in-and-out" record form
which must be followed in SUBJ
stance. Copies Of the latter may be
obtained at the local Chamber
headquarters.
Q. How long must these records
be preserved
A, Three years.
o. Is the posting Of notices
compulsory?
A. Yes. The commissioner has
prepared an appropriate notice and
the statute requires it to be posted
in a conspicuous place.
Q. Where are these notices OBJ
tanned?
A. The Labor Department sup
plies them free, and will undertake
to distribute them to all affected
parties; but failure to receive one
does not excuse any employer from
the obligation. Local chamber Of
commerce will furnish copy on
request to any store which has not
received one directly from the Labor
Department.
Q. What is the duration Of the
mercantile wage order?
A. It contains no expiration
date.
@. Is there any appeal?
A. Yes. Any party in interest
may, within 80 days after the order
Is issued, file a petition in the Su-
perior Court to modify or set aside
the order. Appeal lies thence to the
Supreme Court ofSErrors.
@. Has any previous wage order
been thus appealed?
| A. No.
@. Short of court action, then,
Is the order frozen permanently In
its present form?
A. Not necessarily. After 1t has
been in effect a year, the commits
sioner may reopen, either on his
own motion, or upon petition Of 80
citizens.
@. Is he then empowered to
change the prescribed wages him
self?
A. No. he either reconvenes
tn old wage board or calls new
one;. and from then on, the pro-
cedure is the same as in the orig
inal.
Q. Can the Commiss Toner
change or add to his regulations,
once he issues the original order?
A. Yes, If they could legally
have been included with the original
order; but only after a hearing, with
fifteen days notice.
@. What is the penalty for
failure to pay the prescribed wage?
A. The criminal penalty is $50
$500 and-or 1890 days, each week
constituting a separate offense as
to each employee.
@. What If there Is an agree
ment between employer and en-
ploye for a wage less than the pre-
scribed minimum?
A. It will be no defense against
the charges.
@. Has the aggrieved employee
any other redress?
A. He may recover the def
cheney in civil action, or assign
his wage claim to the Commissio
to collect for him-plus court costs
and attorneys fees in either case.
If any be incurred.