Nashville-based pediatric group to pay workers $92K in back wages

Friday, May 31, 2019, Vol. 43, No. 22

NASHVILLE (AP) — Federal officials say a Tennessee pediatric clinic group will pay 31 employees $92,510 in back wages for labor violations.

The U.S. Department of Labor says Nashville-based Capstone Pediatrics PLLC owned by Gary Griffieth and Winnie Toliver failed to pay workers on paydays multiple times.

The department says Capstone sometimes issued paychecks despite insufficient payroll funds. Regulators found this caused minimum wage violations when Capstone didn't pay employees for time worked and overtime violations when unpaid work weeks topped 40 hours.

Investigators found one employee was deemed an independent contractor and paid straight-time rates without documenting total hours worked, resulting in violations when the worker exceeded 40 hours in a week without overtime pay.

Capstone owned and operated 10 middle Tennessee clinics. The release says seven locations closed during the investigation.