Chasity Smith has taken legal action against her former employer, alleging violations of labor laws that could have widespread implications for other employees in similar situations. On January 8, 2025, Smith filed a collective action complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against 1st Abundant Home Care, LLC and its owner Alicia M. Williams. The case centers on claims of unpaid overtime and minimum wage violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Smith, who worked as a domestic service employee providing companionship services for clients of 1st Abundant Home Care, asserts that she and others similarly situated were systematically denied fair compensation. Her employment with the company ended on June 30, 2024, after many years of service. According to the complaint, Smith regularly worked more than forty hours per week but was not compensated at the legally required overtime rate. For instance, during one pay period in January 2022, she worked 134 hours but was only paid at her regular hourly rate without any overtime premium.
The lawsuit accuses both defendants of engaging in practices that violate federal labor laws by failing to pay minimum wages and overtime compensation. The complaint details how employees like Smith were required to use their personal vehicles for work-related tasks without reimbursement for expenses such as fuel and vehicle depreciation. This practice effectively reduced their earnings below the federal minimum wage threshold.
Smith's allegations are supported by specific examples from her employment records and claim that these practices were part of a broader policy affecting all domestic service employees working for the defendants since three years prior to filing the complaint. The suit seeks certification as a collective action under FLSA guidelines to include all similarly affected workers.
The plaintiff is seeking various forms of relief from the court including unpaid wages, liquidated damages, attorney fees, and costs associated with bringing the lawsuit. Additionally, Smith requests an order authorizing preliminary discovery to determine if other employees are similarly situated under FLSA standards.
Representing Chasity Smith in this legal battle are attorneys Philip Bohrer and Scott E. Brady from Bohrer Brady LLC based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The case has been assigned Case ID: 2:25-cv-00021 and will be heard before judges in the Western District of Louisiana's Lake Charles Division.