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AUTOBODYNEWS.COM
Vol. 7 / Issue 9 / June 2018
Belle Tire to Pay $342,000 in Back Wages After Department of Labor Investigation
SCRS Meeting Includes Election, Awards, Info Related to DEG
by Penny Stacey, pstacey@glass.com
by Autobody News Staff
Belle Tire has agreed to pay $342,926 in back wages to 1,207 employees at 100 locations in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio after a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, according a press release from the DOL. WHD investigators determined Belle Tire violated the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) when the company failed to include incentive bonuses and sales commissions earned by employees in their rates of pay when calculating their overtime payment. Instead, WHD alleges that the company paid workers time-and-one-
half of only their base rates, without considering the amounts by which these bonuses and commissions had boosted employees’ straight time earnings. The violation affected nonexempted employees including–tire technicians, mechanics, sales staff, mobile auto glass mechanics, and those offering roadside assistance, according to a report from the DOL. “Wage violations can be avoided when employers understand the requirements under federal labor law. Belle Tire is now training its store managers, supervisors, and payroll personnel to ensure they compute overtime properly and employees receive the wages they have rightfully See Belle Tire, Page 14
14 Charged in Drug Sting at Chicago Body Shop by Staff, TodayTells
Fourteen people were recently charged for their involvement in a drug sting. An investigation by the FBI discovered the operation was running out of a body shop in the 3300 block of W. Cermak Rd. in Chicago, IL. Undercover officers purchased heroin and ecstasy from individuals operating out of the shop. Prosecutors said the owner of the shop allowed drugs to be made and stored at the shop in the Little Village
neighborhood. Officers seized nearly $60,000 in cash, dozens of firearms and drugs. Prosecutors said the following people face charges: • Johnathan Reyna, 25, of Berwyn • Marco Mendoza, 24, of Lyons • Corey Benson, 23, of Chicago • Anton Cole, 23, of Chicago • Anton Little Jr., 20, of Chicago • Devontay Johnson, 26, of Chicago
See Drug Sting, Page 21
A fourth open seat on the board was filled by Dominic During several days of Brusco of PPG, who had events in Denver in midpreviously spent five years April, the Society of Collion the SCRS board earlier sion Repair Specialists this decade. He defeated in(SCRS) elected new board cumbent Mark Bodreau of Matthew members, presented several Caliber Collision, who durMcDonnell ing his 5-year term on the awards and held a meeting that offered presentations on techni- board had sold his Virginia collision cal issues and free tools available to repair business to that consolidator. SCRS Chairman Kye Yeung said Bothe industry. dreau had been “an integral Three current SCRS part of the board,” and hoped board members were rehe would continue to play a elected to another term. Rerole in the association. taining their seats on the board were Michael BradDuring discussions and presentations at the “open shaw of K&M Collision in North Carolina, Bruce Halmeeting” portion of the association’s board meeting in cro of Capital Collision CenAmber Alley Denver, Matthew McDonters in Montana and Paul See SCRS Meeting, Page 56 Sgro of Lee’s Garage in New Jersey.
CA Jury Awards Fired Allstate Employee More Than $18 Million by Denise Johnson, Claims Journal
A former Allstate Insurance Co. employee who was fired following an arrest has been awarded more than $18 million in damages. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported a San Diego jury awarded 55-year-old Michael Tilkey about $2.6 million in actual damages and nearly $16 million in punitive damages in his wrongful termination lawsuit. Tilkey was fired by Allstate in 2016 after he was arrested in Arizona the prior year following an argument he had with his then-girlfriend. According to the original complaint, Tilkey had worked for Allstate for 30 years, starting with the company soon after receiving his bachelor’s degree. He worked his way up to field sales leader, advising 30 inde-
pendent agents and support staff. He alleged that despite his stellar work performance, he was fired without warning in May 2015. The reason given for his abrupt termination was that “threatening anyone” was against company policy. The prior year he stated he had been falsely arrested based on complaints made by a former girlfriend who was under psychiatric care. The charges were later dropped. Allstate’s human resources department conducted an interview with Tilkey about the charges in late 2014. He said he had heard nothing further until his sudden termination. In his suit against Allstate, he contends he had never been convicted of a crime before or since then. Tilkey’s first cause of action alleged Allstate violated the California Labor Code, since it prohibits an employer See CA Jury Awards, Page 60
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