The U.S. Department of Labor announced on October 19, 2026 that it has obtained a consent judgment requiring Coway USA Inc., a home appliance company, to pay $800,000 in back wages and damages to 339 employees after a Wage and Hour Division investigation found federal wage-law violations. Investigators found that Coway paid employees on a piece-rate basis and failed to pay for time spent attending mandatory meetings, picking up and loading supplies, and performing work before and after shifts, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The company also failed to include nondiscretionary incentives, bonuses and commissions in overtime pay calculations and frequently reduced the number of hours employees recorded on their timecards. Entered in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on September 9, the judgment requires Coway to pay $400,000 in unpaid overtime wages and an equal amount in damages to 339 employees working in the greater metro areas of Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C., plus $10,000 in penalties for willful violations. The company must record all hours worked - including supply pickup, mandatory training and customer communication before and after appointments - and provide pay statements showing hours worked, services provided and the rates paid. Coway USA Inc. is a subsidiary of Coway Co. Ltd., a multinational home appliance company that installs and maintains products including water and air filtration systems across the U.S. For workers in installation and service trades, the case is a practical reference point: time spent in mandatory meetings, loading supplies and pre- and post-shift work is generally compensable under federal law, and nondiscretionary bonuses and commissions must be included when overtime rates are calculated. The Wage and Hour Division runs a toll-free helpline (866-4US-WAGE) and a PAID self-report program for employers.