Federal agents hope a court order levied against an Oklahoma businessman sends a message to agricultural companies.
The U.S. Department of Labor obtained a federal judgment and injunction against Robert K. Cook, who operates businesses in Grove, Lawton, Owasso, Bixby and Stillwater under Rob’s Sod Inc. and Cook’s Farmland Enterprises LLC. The businesses operate under the names Green Acre Sod Farm, Green Acre Sod & Landscape Center and Enterprise Sod and Landscape Center.
The court order demands Cook pay $72,000 in back wages and damages for 20 workers denied overtime, according to a Department of Labor news release.
Cook violated the Fair Labor Standards Act when he made his employees work in retail in addition to their agriculture work, said Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division District Director Michael Speer. Unlike retail workers, employers aren’t required to pay agricultural laborers overtime.
“Once you start performing that retail activity where you start selling to the general public other goods besides growing and cultivating and harvesting your agricultural product, which was the grass — those workers who worked in that retail capacity, those workers are eligible for overtime,” said Speer.
Aside from paying his workers what they’re owed, Cook must maintain accurate records and not retaliate against his employees, Speer said.
In a prepared statement, Green Acre “denies allegations” but noted it “is happy to see a mutual agreement was reached.”
“We are an employee-friendly company with greater than 50% of our employees being with the company for more than five years, and all employees have and will continue to be paid for all hours worked,” the statement reads.
Speer noted there are many more cases of wage theft in Oklahoma. The Department of Labor estimates employers in the state have kept at least $1.3 million from more than 1,600 workers, excluding the Cook case.
The feds have specifically promoted the investigation into Cook’s practices so agriculture employers can take note and correct their business models if needed, Speer said.
“I’d much rather educate folks to help them comply with the law so that they can make the corrections themselves rather than going through a full investigation,” Speer said.
To report wage theft, visit the Department of Labor’s Workers Owed Wages online tool.
