Call Us 919-240-4054In this case, plaintiffs are bringing collective action claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) based on the under-payment of wages and overtime at Smithfield Packing’s Tar Heel, North Carolina meat processing facility. Magistrate Judge Gates issued an opinion last week recommending that defendant’s motion to decertify the FLSA collective action be denied. If his recommendation […]
Wage and Hour
NC Court of Appeals upholds jury verdict for employee to collect earned bonuses
Earlier this month, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued Kornegay v. Aspen Asset Group LLC, an interesting case that raises and decides some key issues under the North Carolina Wage and Hour Act (NCWHA). At issue was whether the employee-plaintiff had a contract that included bonus payments, and if so, whether those had to be […]
Recent Fourth Circuit labor and employment decisions
The Fourth Circuit has published opinions in three labor and employment cases in recent weeks. The first case, Sepulveda v. Allen Family Foods, Inc., concerned a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective action that was brought on behalf of a class of current and former employees of a chicken processing plant. The employees claimed, among other things, […]
Study shows that low wage workers are subject to a host of employment and labor law violations
A new study, “Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers,” shows that employers routinely violate the employment rights of low wage workers, with frequent violations of the wage and hour laws, workers’ compensation laws, and anti-retaliation protections. (The summary of the original study is here.) Here are some of the startling findings: 68 percent of the workers interviewed had […]
Today’s workers’ compensation and employment decisions by the NC Court of Appeals
In Panos v. Timco Engine Center, the court considered the applicability of the North Carolina Wage and Hour Act (NCWHA) to an employee who works outside of North Carolina. Plaintiff had brought an action based on the company’s failure to pay severance as required by his employment contract. Although the company was based in North Carolina, […]
Fourth Circuit finds for plaintiff in FLSA overtime case
In Desmond v. PNGI Charles Town Gaming, the Fourth Circuit reversed the trial court, concluding instead that the plaintiff was not exempt from being paid overtime as an administrative employee. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), one of the “white collar” exceptions to the overtime requirement is the administrative exception. An administrative position is “office […]