Employee reported them for wage theft. Company retaliated and further defamed said employee. Apparently the wage theft was bad enough for the government to get involved.
Hopefully the fine will be enough close the business. This guy gives bosses a bad name.
I know it’s bad, but I really can’t see why this is illegal - especially since they included additional funding to cover the employee’s expenses of processing the money.
If paying in pennies is illegal, then we should simply abolish the penny because it’s not with the time or effort.
The Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. Foreign gold or silver coins are not legal tender for debts."
Now, private businesses can refuse to take cash before they render a service. But my understanding is that US tender must be accepted for all debts.
The pennies were in payment of his final paycheck. The suit is in regard to unrelated wage theft from unpaid overtime and discrimination/retaliation (presumably for reporting the wage theft), as well as failure to maintain required records.
Hopefully the fine will be enough close the business. This guy gives bosses a bad name.