Labor: Louisiana day cares violating wage laws

The U.S. Department of Labor says more north Louisiana child care businesses are paying workers a legal wage after a crackdown by the Wage and Hour Division. But it says a majority of such businesses in Bossier, Caddo, East Carroll, Lincoln and Ouachita parishes are still breaking the law.

A news release Thursday said 57 percent of the employers investigated this year were violating minimum-wage, overtime or record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act — compared to 81 percent last year.

The department says it recovered nearly $48,000 in back pay for 198 workers this year, compared to $146,000 for nearly 680 employees last year. The crackdown is continuing through 2015.