State labor officials have filed a lawsuit against a Fresno car wash owner for failing to provide minimum wage and overtime to employees.

The lawsuit, filed in Fresno County Superior Court, seeks more than $279,000 in unpaid wages, penalties and damages affecting 33 workers at White Glove Car Wash, 2503 N. Blackstone Ave.

The Labor Commissioner's Office has accused White Glove owner Manbir S. Walia of willfully violating the law by failing to pay proper wages and overtime to his employees.

Walia could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

"Employers who deny workers the pay they've earned will be held accountable," said Christine Baker, director of the Department of Industrial Relations. "These illegal actions hurt not only the employees, but also honest businesses and taxpayers."

The state's investigation found that while White Glove employees were paid hourly, they were not allowed to clock in until instructed by a supervisor. In some cases, workers were made to wait several hours. As a result, employees who worked at the car wash for eight hours were only being paid for four hours.

Over the last several years, the state has increased its focus on car wash businesses after finding repeated labor law violations.

"Making workers stand by for work without paying them, and covering up the violation by keeping false time cards, is a breach of the basic promise of a just day's pay for a hard day's work," said Julie A. Su, California labor commissioner.

Earlier this year, the labor commissioner helped bring a criminal complaint for conspiracy and grand theft against a Southern California car wash, Wilshire West Car Wash LLC. The case is being prosecuted by the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office as the result of an investigation launched by the Labor Commissioner's Office.

The Labor Commissioner's Office settles wage claims, investigates discrimination and public works complaints.