Heraclio Valdez Maya has taken legal action against his former employers, alleging they failed to pay him due wages in accordance with federal labor laws. The complaint was filed on March 28, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against Joseph Arnold Natali and his associated businesses.
The case revolves around allegations that from January 2016 through October 2024, Heraclio Valdez Maya was employed under the H-2A Visa Program by Jevon Natali Farms, a business owned by Joseph Arnold Natali. Despite being hired for agricultural work, Maya claims he performed non-agricultural tasks such as welding and construction for other entities owned by Jevon Frank Natali, including JEVCON, LLC and JEVCON Construction, LLC. These tasks were outside the scope of his visa program’s agricultural focus. Maya asserts that he regularly worked over 40 hours per week without receiving overtime pay or minimum wage as mandated by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). He accuses the defendants of willfully neglecting to compensate him properly despite knowing he exceeded standard working hours.
Maya is seeking compensation for unpaid wages and overtime from his former employers. He demands liquidated damages, attorney fees, and any further relief deemed appropriate by the court. The plaintiff argues that these businesses are jointly liable as his employers under FLSA regulations. Furthermore, he points out that despite submitting weekly timesheets indicating his extensive working hours, he received no written statements of earnings alongside his paychecks—a violation of labor regulations.
The case is being handled by attorneys Eulis Simien Jr., Jimmy Simien, and Roy Bergeron Jr. from Simien & Simien L.L.C., based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The court document is identified as Case No.: 225cv403 in the Western District of Louisiana.