FLSA Applies to Indian-Owned Smoke Shop on Reservation

As reported at Turtle Talk, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Fair Labor Standards Act applies to Indian-owned businesses operating on Indian reservations and that the Secretary of Labor has the right to inspect the books of such businesses. 

The case, Solis v. Matheson, centers around a smoke shop owned by a member of the Puyallap Tribe and operated on the Puyallap Reservation in Washington. The Secretary of Labor subpoenaed the books of the smoke shop and determined that the owners failed to pay overtime wages to its employees, as required by the FLSA. The district court agreed. The 9th Circuit affirmed the decision on appeal.