Chao v. Vidtape, Inc.

196 F. Supp. 2d 281, 8 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 1327, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7123, 2002 WL 482360
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 22, 2002
DocketCV 98-3359(ETB)
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 196 F. Supp. 2d 281 (Chao v. Vidtape, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chao v. Vidtape, Inc., 196 F. Supp. 2d 281, 8 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 1327, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7123, 2002 WL 482360 (E.D.N.Y. 2002).

Opinion

*284 AMENDED MEMORANDUM OPINION, ORDER AND JUDGMENT

BOYLE, United States Magistrate Judge.

The Secretary of Labor (hereinafter “Plaintiff’ or “Secretary”) commenced this action on May 1, 1998, pursuant to Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq. (“the Act”), after an investigation of the labor practices of the defendants. This court held a bench trial on April 23, 2001 to May 1, 2001, and the parties gave summations on October 18, 2001. At the conclusion of the trial, all back wage claims against Inventive Technology Systems, Inc. (“Inventive”) were dismissed. This court granted judgment in favor of the Secretary on March 29, 2002.

On April 9, 2002, the secretary moved, pursuant to Rule 59(e) to amend this court’s judgment dated March 29, 2002. In particular, the Secretary moved: (1) to remove the award of pre-judgment interest; (2) to include violations of 29 U.S.C. § 215(a)(1) in the judgment; and (3) to rescind the award of $11,000 in civil money penalties for child labor violations. Defendants do not oppose the Secretary’s motion. The Secretary’s motion is granted. This Amended Memorandum Opinion, Order and Judgment reflects the requested modifications of the Memorandum Opinion, Order and Judgment, dated March 29, 2002.

The complaint, which was amended on July 20, 2000, alleges that from the period of May 1, 1995 to approximately June 10, 1997, the corporate defendants Vidtape, Inc. (“Vidtape”) and Inventive and the individual defendants Mohinder Singh Anand (“Mohinder”), Satinder Singh Anand (“Satinder”) and Arjan Singh Anand (“Arjan”) willfully violated various provisions of the Act. These violations include: (1) failing to pay employees proper minimum wage; (2) failing to pay employees adequate overtime wages; (3) employing a child in violation of the child labor provision; (4) violating the “hot goods” provision of the Act by putting in the stream of commerce goods manufactured in violation of these laws; and (5) violating the Act’s record-keeping provisions. The Secretary seeks an injunction to prevent defendants from future violations of the Act, and a judgment ordering defendants to pay: (1) minimum wage compensation in the amount of $50,649.25; (2) overtime wages in the amount of $70,716.30; (3) liquidated damages in the amount of $121,365.55; and (4) costs. (See Amended Complaint; Plaintiffs Revised Exh. 21a and 22a.) This memorandum opinion and order constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to Rule 52, Fed.R.Civ.P.

FINDINGS OF FACT

A. Introduction

Defendant Vidtape is a New York corporation incorporated in January, 1988. Defendant Inventive is a Delaware corporation incorporated on June 18, 1997. Prior to April, 1998, Vidtape manufactured and duplicated videocassette tapes. On February 26, 1998, Vidtape sold its manufacturing operation to Inventive. (Defendants’ Exh. L.) Currently, Inventive manufactures and duplicates videocassettes, while Vidtape markets and sells ■ Inventive’s product. Vidtape and Inventive were located at the same property in West Babylon, New York and are currently located at the same property in Farmingdale New York. (T. 732-733, 752.)

Defendant Mohinder Singh Anand is the president, sole officer, and sole shareholder of Vidtape. (T. 565, 723, 765.) Satinder Singh Anand, Mohinder’s brother, was formerly employed at Vidtape, and is currently the president of Inventive. Arjan Singh Anand, the father of Mohinder and Satin- *285 der, was never employed by Vidtape, but currently works as Inventive’s general manager. (T. 713-716.) The Nihang Ni-vas trust is the sole shareholder of Inventive’s stock. Arjan is the trustee of the Nihang Nivas trust, and the beneficiaries of the trust are Mohinder’s wife, children, and mother. Satinder is also a beneficiary of the trust. (T. 599.)

B. Employer Status of the Individual Defendants

1. Mohinder Singh Anand

Mohinder, the president of Vidtape, controls and manages the operations at his company. He hired employees, terminated employees, set wage rates, set Vidtape’s pay system, and signed Vidtape pay checks. He also supervised employees. (T. 567, 568, 606, 725, 774, 569, 572, 776, 572.)

2. Satinder Singh Anand

Employees testified that Satinder gave them work assignments and supervisory directions. Satinder hired some of the Vidtape employees. (T. 348-349, 726; Plaintiffs Exh. 13, Kumar dep. at 13-14, 27-28.) Employees reported to Satinder in the absence of Mohinder. (T. 62.) Sa-tinder directed some employees to report to work on Sundays and he directed employees not to report to work after the Department of Labor commenced its investigation. (T. 315, 117.) Satinder also had the authority to sign checks for Vid-tape and did so when Mohinder was unavailable. (T. 763, 758, Defendants’ Exh. A.) The court credits this testimony.

Satinder testified that he was not an employer of Vidtape and that he only worked there on commission as its salesman. He stated he never fired employees, never set work hours or work schedules, never directed or supervised employees, and never dealt with payroll issues. (T. 721-726.) The court does not credit this testimony by Satinder. It is undisputed that Satinder is the current president and employer of Inventive, the portion of the enterprise that manufactures the videotapes and employs the majority of the minimum wage employees.

3.Arjan Singh Anand

Arjan, the father of Mohinder and Satin-der, has never been a shareholder, corporate officer, or employee of Vidtape. (T. 713, 715.) He testified that he never gave orders, hired, fired, or set policies for employees. (T. 713-714, 717.) Arjan did visit his sons at work during the midday and discussed financial matters with them at lunch. (T. 713, 719.) Hardeep Anand testified that Arjan brought lunch for his sons a few days a week and that during the time he was at the office, he read a religious book. (T. 652.) The court credits this testimony.

Vidtape employees testified that they viewed Arjan as a “boss.” (T. 270, 149, 288, 309, 333, 398, 477.) This testimony is credited. Occasionally, Arjan directed employees as to their jobs and gave them videotapes to be duplicated. (T. 50, 309, 333, 404, 437, 454-455.) This testimony is not credited.

Arjan is currently employed part-time as Inventive’s general manager, where he maintains Inventive’s inventory and procures spare parts. (T. 716.)

B. Enterprise

Vidtape manufactured videotapes at its factory in West Babylon. Inventive was formed on June 18, 1997, days after the Department of Labor commenced its formal investigation of Vidtape. Inventive began manufacturing videotapes on April 30,1998, one day before the Department of Labor filed its complaint in this action. (Defendants’ Exh. G.)

*286

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Bluebook (online)
196 F. Supp. 2d 281, 8 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 1327, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7123, 2002 WL 482360, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chao-v-vidtape-inc-nyed-2002.