It appears that BP’s woes are not limited to oil spills. 

The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor has announced the results of the first year of the agency’s multi-year enforcement initiative focusing on the gas station industry in New Jersey.  During FY 2011 (the year ending on September 30, 2011), Wage-Hour conducted 74 investigations of gas station facilities throughout the state, recovering $1,014,895 in back wages for 295 workers.  BP-branded stations accounted for 69 of the establishments investigated.  Non-BP stations whose owners also had BP stations were found by Wage-Hour to have similar violations.

According to Wage-Hour, common violations found included paying workers below the federal minimum wage; paying a flat salary or “straight time” wages for all hours worked, without regard to overtime requirements; and paying cash wages “off the books,” rather than maintaining accurate records of employees' wages, work hours and employment conditions, as required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”).   After being notified of the violations, BP Products North America Inc. issued a letter to each of its marketers in New York and New Jersey, reminding them of their legal responsibilities under the FLSA and encouraging them to review their pay practices and ensure compliance under the law.