The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has agreed to settle a wage and hour dispute with employees for a total of $11 million. Texas and federal laws require employers to make certain minimum payments to employees, including obeying minimum wage requirements and paying overtime to qualified employees. The settlement agreement in the CDC case came after claims were made by employees that they were not being paid overtime by the agency. The union that represents the employees made a grievance filing in May 2016.
Thousands of employees stand to receive compensation in connection with the legal action. An emergency response specialist with the CDC was the first to raise the issue with his union representatives at the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883. He said he later learned that he was not the only employee being affected, but was a small part of a much larger problem. The union grievance focused on two separate issues, non-payment of overtime and incorrect designations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The CDC had designated a large number of workers as exempt from the provisions of the FLSA when they should have been non-exempt. The CDC settlement requires that around 2,400 workers must be categorized as non-exempt from the FLSA, which should make it easier for them to claim and be paid overtime.
Employers in Texas are required to pay overtime to employees under certain conditions established by law. In cases where employers fail to pay employees what they are due, the employees may have claims for compensation. A lawyer who is familiar with wage and hour laws may be able to help by reviewing the facts of the situation and identifying causes of action and potentially liable parties. A lawyer might be able to build a case and negotiate settlement or draft and file a complaint for relief.
