LAFAYETTE – Several rig clerks have filed suit against their employer claiming that the company allegedly failed to pay them overtime.
Michael D. Clay, Larre G. Butler and Clayton Shamsie, individually and on behalf of those similarly situated, filed a collective-action suit on March 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District Court of Louisiana, Lafayette Division, against New Tech Global Ventures LLC citing alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The plaintiffs allege that they were hired by defendant as rig clerks, performing duties such as record keeping, answering phone calls, completing forms, and other various clerical-related jobs. They assert that the defendant would at times require and schedule them to work at least 15 hours a day for seven days a week. As a result, they claim to have often worked 105 hours or more a week. However, the defendant allegedly refused to pay the plaintiffs overtime pay, instead only compensating them on a day-rate basis. The plaintiffs claim that New Tech illegally misclassified them as exempt in order to avoid paying overtime. The defendant’s alleged willful act of reckless disregard in paying overtime constitutes a violation of the FLSA, according to the plaintiffs.
They are now asking the court to find the defendant liable for violations of the FLSA; award them all unpaid wages, liquidated damages, and/or penalty damages; award them the cost of the suit along with attorney fees, pre- and post-judgment interest and any other rewards deemed just. They are seeking a jury trial and are represented by Kenneth D. St. Pe in Lafayette.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana Case number 6:16-cv-00296-RFD-CBW