Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Douglas Delivery Stiffs Workers

 The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following statement. 

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $44,280 in back wages and liquidated damages for two employees of a Jackson ground delivery contractor who failed to compensate them for work they did off-the-clock from their homes.

Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that Douglas Inc. – operating as Douglas Express Delivery – allowed the employees to work off-the-clock without compensation, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. After working their regular shifts and clocking out, the employees would then continue to perform work-related tasks from home such as responding to customers’ phone calls, texts and emails, providing directions to drivers for deliveries and finding alternate drivers when vehicles broke down. 

In addition to failing to pay the workers for the off-the-clock work, Douglas Express owed the workers time-and-one half the required rate of pay as the off-the-clock work exceeded 40 hours in a workweek. The division also cited the employer with a recordkeeping violation for not recording the hours employees spent working from home after they left their physical worksite. The division also assessed Douglas Express with an $882 civil penalty for repeat violations. In two previous investigations, Douglas Express paid $157,568 in back wages to 59 employees. 

“The pandemic blurred the lines between home and office as safety dictated that some companies allow workers to complete job-related tasks from their homes, however, employers remain obligated to compensate workers for all their hours of work, including the time they spent working from home,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Audrey Hall in Jackson, Mississippi. “As more people use e-commerce sites to shop and the demands on warehousing, logistics and delivery companies increase, employers must ensure they comply fully with worker protections of wages and benefits, regardless of where the work is performed.”

Amid historic shifts in the nation’s workforce, employers are finding it more difficult to retain and recruit the people they need to do the jobs they offer. Many of those difficulties are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in transportation and warehousing, excluding the postal service, to grow about 327,300 new jobs in the next decade.

“Workers will naturally flock to businesses that show an ability to pay them their full wages as they are earned,” Hall added. “Employers who fail to meet their legal obligation to workers and make it harder for them to make ends meet may find themselves struggling to hire the people they need to operate.” 

Established in 1958, Douglas Inc. is a ground delivery contractor that delivers office supplies, furniture, pharmaceuticals, auto parts, beverages, medical supplies and mail. The company has five branch locations in Tupelo, Batesville, Greenwood, Hattiesburg and Gulfport. 



19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness that the Democratic Party gave us the labor protections! If it were up to the GOP, we would have zero labor rights and this type of exploitation would be commonplace.

Pay up or shut down! Workers will no longer be exploited!

Anonymous said...

Or Douglas delivers a stiff to workers.

Anonymous said...

Yea 12:48

having to pay a criminal organization to have a job that protects a bunch of drunks and drugheads who turn out second rate work and products so that you can't get rid of them.....

My father was hardcore union and touted how great they were, but then after I quit the union after 3 months and got a real job, he just couldn't understand how I later retired in my 50's compared to his late 60's with a better retirement and benefits. Nope, nothing a union can do for me.

Anonymous said...

@1:41
Nobody said anything about a union. The labor protections that DED was fined for violating exist at a federal level. The law benefited you as well. But it’s obvious that your biased logical fallacies twist everything you perceive into whatever political cult narrative that you current subscribe to. I’m guessing you didn’t retire from a field that required abstract thought, or critical thinking skills.

Anonymous said...

Unions are for those people who are not good enough employees to make it own their own work. They have to pay other people to save them from being fired for poor performance.

Anonymous said...

@2:09
Actually, unions are for people who work in labor and manufacturing and don’t want to end up like a Chinese factory worker. Perhaps you should do a little bit of research about the current state of Chinese factory workers. China doesn’t allow collective bargaining or unionization. The PRC is the only legal Labor Union in China. And then look back at what it was like for factory workers in the USA, the UK, and Europe during the early decades of the Industrial Revolution. Look specifically into the safety.

I’m not even a leftist and yes, I own my own light manufacturing business. I wouldn’t personally treat my workers the way many factory owners did back then. It’s always common to dehumanize laborers, especially immigrants. Even in China, the farm workers who sneak into town to worm the factories without proper documents are exploited.

Labor unions have been abused by organized crime and lazy, incompetent workers. But so has everything else you can imagine from sports to the church!

Anonymous said...

@244 you think union jobs weren’t shipped overseas when Clinton /Obama was/were president? Lol

Anonymous said...

@1248-The companies that are under paying and mistreating their employees are woke left wing companies that support the Dim party.

Anonymous said...

@3:00 PM
Why would you assume I don’t think that? Of course they were! Just like Union jobs were shipped overseas while Bush and Trump were president! Bush even shipped most of the recovered steel from the demolished WTC towers to China! Do you have a head injury?

Anonymous said...

You read a story about a delivery service supposedly not paying their workers properly and the next thing you know, you're talking about China and their factory workers. I bet those factory guys would like to work for Douglas Delivery.

Anonymous said...

OH my, another story with two sides. Who would have thought.

Anonymous said...

Douglas has the contract with state liquor warehouse to deliver liquor in Mississippi. The prior company that delivered liquor had the contract for many years and was a stand up company.

Anonymous said...

Unions offer apprenticeships, health insurance and good retirements for their members.

But, they create the laziest workers and f--k all of their customers on prices. And I mean they do not use any lube!

Anonymous said...

12:48 - Turn your union-cap around, son. Workers' Rights were popularized under FDR's watch. At that time in this country's history everybody who is a republican today, would have been a democrat then. I know you won't understand this, but I tried.

Anonymous said...

"Bush even shipped most of the recovered steel from the demolished WTC towers to China! Do you have a head injury? October 18, 2022 at 3:46 PM"

Bush never was a shipping clerk and never was involved in freight movements. But, that aside, what do you suggest should have been done with that steel? Should it have been hauled to places like the Birmingham Steel Mil.....wait....democrats orchestrated, made necessary and presided over the demise of US steel mills and most other heavy industrial smokestack workplaces 30-45 years ago. I guess it could have been dumped at sea for oyster reefs and such.

Anonymous said...

8:16

That's like saying gas stations offer gasoline, sodas and window squeegee usage.

The workers pay for those things. All unions do is create a layer of fleeced income from the actual workers.

Anonymous said...

@2:44, interesting commentary, but without an answer. You defend unions, making old time comparisons. You state you own a light manufacturing business.

Question: Is your business unionized? Or do you do what most every manufacturing business does nowdays, employ people based on ability and willingness to work; pay them decent wages; provide competitive benefits; but retain the ability to compensate base on ability rather than senority?

I look forward to hearing your defense of unions along with your response.

Anonymous said...

@507 - check when Davis got the contract you reference with the department of revenue. And when the Commissioner (appointed by former Governor Bryant, and a current associate of Bryant Songy) of the Department resigned. Is there any correlation?

Kingfish said...

What jurisdiction?


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.