WAGE THEFT

Tampa pharma maker owed Florida and Puerto Rico workers $1.9 million in pay, feds say


DAVID J. NEAL/dneal@MiamiHerald.com

David J. Neal
Mon, April 11, 2022, 

A Tampa-based international pharmaceutical company “missed several payrolls” in 2021, and eventually paid $1,943,241 in back pay after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, the agency announced last week.

That money should have been paid to 139 workers of Romark Laboratories, an average of $13,980.15 per employee. Labor said the Wage and Hour Division investigation concerned Romark’s Bayport Drive location in Tampa and its Manati, Puerto Rico, facility.

According to Labor’s announcement, Romark “missed several payrolls from July 25 to Nov. 15, 2021.” This is a basic violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

“Wages are due to employees on their regularly scheduled pay day. Employers who fail to meet this obligation make it very hard for workers to provide for themselves and their families, and meet their obligations,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Nicolas Ratmiroff. “In today’s environment, employers who continue to make it harder for employees to earn a living can quickly find themselves struggling to retain and recruit workers.”

State records say Romark registered with the state in 1994 and is headed by president/CEO Marc Ayers and secretary Jean-Francois Rossignol. Romark has not responded to an emailed request for comment from the Miami Herald.

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 FLSA. 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 a worker’s immigration or citizenship status, he or she can speak with the department, which says it can handle calls in more than 200 languages.