The owners of the Hilton Garden Inn Valencia Six Flags chain-branded hotel have agreed to pay more than $10,000 in back wages and $100,000 in fines resulting from violations of Los Angeles County’s minimum wage ordinance.

The agreement, announced Friday night, comes after an investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs’ Wage Enforcement Program revealed the Hilton Garden Inn Valencia Six Flags had underpaid 40 employees for a six-month period in 2016.

The hotel failed to correct the underpayments for over two years until the investigation. The hotel owners admitted to violating the county’s minimum wage laws and agreed to pay $50,000 of the total fines directly to the employees.

“The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is committed to the principle that every worker must be paid fairly and promptly as required by law,” said Joseph M. Nicchitta, Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs. “Underpayments of any amount can compound the financial difficulties minimum wage earners experience daily. There is no excuse for failing to pay your employees the correct wage.”

The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs enforces the minimum wage in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. The current minimum wage for people who perform work in unincorporated Los Angeles County is $14.25 an hour for businesses with 26 or more employees and $13.25 for businesses with 25 or fewer employees.

The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs works with business owners to educate them about the obligations under applicable wage laws and takes complaints from employees who believe their rights are being violated at work. A failure to comply with applicable wage laws can result in substantial fines.

If you work in unincorporated Los Angeles County and believe you are not being paid the correct minimum wage, contact the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at 800-593-8222 or visit dcba.lacounty.gov/minimum-wage. We also encourage business owners to contact us for information on compliance or to receive printed materials and required postings free of charge.