Hawaii 24/7 Staff

The U.S. Department of Labor has been ordered a Hilo company to pay more than $225,000 in back wages to its employees.

Hilo-based Pacific Quest conducts wilderness therapy for adolescents and teens.

The Department of Labor announced the wages already have been paid to 121 current and former employees following an investigation that found the company violated overtime, minimum wage and record-keeping regulations.

The Wage and Hour Division’s Honolulu office found the company never calculated or paid overtime for field workers who worked more than 40 hours per week. They worked shifts at a campsite, averaging 122 hours over a two-week period. They were paid for the hours they worked, which did not always meet the federal minimum wage.

The federal minimum wage currently is $7.25, plus time and one-half the regular rate for hours worked in excess of 40 per week.

Pacific Quest has not issued a statement.