A jury determined battery maker East Penn Manufacturing violated a federal labor law.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, East Penn denied over 7,500 workers overtime pay.
As a result, the jury awarded back wages totaling more than $22 million.
The award marks the largest recorded verdict under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The jury discovered East Penn paid workers only for an 8-hour scheduled shift.
The pay excluded additional time needed to put on and remove PPE and shower to avoid lead exposure and other hazards.
The verdict follows a 2016 Wage and Hour Division investigation and a department complaint in 2018.
In a statement, East Penn said the company believes it provided proper compensation and was fair in determining reasonable time for employee safety preparation.
