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The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against an Albuquerque auto glass company seeking about $300,000 in unpaid wages for the company's employees.

A Touch of Glass failed to pay 55 sales and services employees federally required minimum wage and overtime and did not keep satisfactory records between October 2004 and October 2007, according to the lawsuit filed Dec. 21 in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque and a news release from the department.

The business, which has operations in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe, was started in 2004, the company says.

Company President Emily Gordon and Vice President Emerald Duquette did not return phone calls Thursday.

Diana Petterson, a Department of Labor spokeswoman, said the department would not release why it began investigating the company.

Before taking legal action, the department notifies employers that they owe back wages, Petterson said. The employer has the option of paying the wages without going to court, she added.

"Why this employer chose not to pay the back wages, I don't know," she said. "But if we had to file a lawsuit, it means they chose not to pay."

The federal minimum wage is $5.85 per hour and requires the employer to pay time and a half for overtime.

Albuquerque's minimum wage rose to $6.75 per hour at the beginning of 2007, and rose this year to $7.15 per hour.

City Attorney Bob White said he has not received any complaints about the company but would seek back wages for the employees if they did complain.

The Department of Labor collected $220 million in back wages in 2007, according to a news release.