A Florida Medicare benefits seller owed workers $106,000 in unpaid wages and damages

A Deerfield Beach company that sells Medicare Advantage plans out of its Pembroke Pines and Deerfield Beach call centers paid $106,248 in back pay and damages after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, the agency announced.

That money went to 68 employees, just over $1,562 per worker, at Senior Healthcare Advisors.

Daniel Post has been listed in state records as Senior Healthcare’s manager since he registered the company in 2018 to do business in Florida. Asked about the pay violations when reached by phone Tuesday by the Miami Herald, Post said, “I don’t know anything about it.”

When pressed on whether or not Labor’s announcement was accurate and, if so, how this happened, Post snapped, “None of your business” and hung up.

READ MORE: After two court cases, Florida company pays $127,000 to workers shorted on pay.

Labor says Wage and Hour Division investigators found that Senior Healthcare classified its employees as independent contractors and paid them straight time hourly rates, even when they exceeded 40 hours per week. By misclassifying employees, Senior Healthcare avoided paying time-and-a-half overtime rates, as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Also, Senior Healthcare avoided proper overtime pay by not including earned commissions into the regular pay rates, another FLSA violation.

“The employer also failed to provide a general notice to its employees informing them of their Family and Medical Leave Act rights,” Labor said.

“Misclassifying workers as independent contractors denies them wage protections and other important benefits, making makes it harder for them to provide for themselves and their families,” said a statement from Wage and Hour Division District Director Daniel Cronin.

READ MORE: Health care employees worked ‘off-the-clock,’ feds say. Now Florida company pays up

The Wage and Hour complaint section of Labor’s website contains information on how to file a complaint if you believe your employer has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act or other labor laws. Miami’s Wage and Hour Division office can be reached at 305-598-6607. The national helpline is 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).

No matter the immigration or citizenship status of workers, they can speak with the department, which says it can handle calls in more than 200 languages.