Denver landscaping company fined $112K, barred from H-2B program

The U.S. Department of Labor said it recovered $203,332 in back wages after an investigation found a Denver landscaping company, Grandview Landscape and Irrigation, denied overtime wages to 14 workers and failed to keep complete records in compliance with the law.

Grandview Landscaping provides commercial and residential design/build, tree care, irrigation and maintenance. Fermin and Roberto Daniel Guardado, father and son, own the business.

The department said it also barred Grandview Landscaping from hiring H-2B workers for five years for its violations of the H-2B worker program.

Investigations by the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined the company underpaid 14 workers, 10 of whom had H-2B worker visas. The employer made illegal deductions from workers’ wages for transportation to and from the workers’ native countries and illegally employed some workers in construction to remodel the owner’s home. The division said the employer intimidated and coerced employees to give false statements to federal investigators.

In addition to the back wages, the division assessed $111,609 in civil money penalties for the nature of the violations.