SULPHUR, La. (AP) - The U.S. Department of Labor says a southwest Louisiana contractor operating in Louisiana, Texas and Florida has paid $495,900 in back wages to 411 workers. The department said in a news release Tuesday that Versa Integrity Group Inc. of Sulphur, Louisiana, erroneously classified wages as per diem payments. It says that meant overtime was paid at lower rates than federal law requires to workers who do inspections, maintenance and repair work at industrial refining, chemical and offshore locations. The department says Versa is based in Sulphur and provides non-destructive testing at 22 locations in the three states.

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