American Union Sues On Behalf Of Call Center Employees For Back Wages
A union is seeking $100 million in back wages from General Dynamics, a private call center firm. If the case goes in the union’s favor, it will be the largest wage theft case in the history of the country.
Union Seeks Back Pay From 2013 To The Present
For years, the employees at General Dynamics have worked hard in the many call centers, responding to various queries such as questions about government healthcare services. They take excellent care of those who call with questions but despite this, they allege that they work in subpar conditions and that their rightful wages have been stolen.
In a lawsuit filed by the Communications Workers Of America (CWA) on the behalf of employees at the company, the union alleges that General Dynamics, which was acquired by a federal contractor called Maximus in 2018, forces employees to work in “deplorable” conditions and misclassifies employees in order to avoid paying overtime. They allege that these violations have impacted thousands of employees from as early as 2013 and continued through to the present.
With regard to the working conditions, employees allege that areas like the bathrooms aren’t cleaned or properly stocked with toiletries. When attempts are made to unionize so that conditions can be improved, management comes down hard and reprimands employees that are involved.
The CWA is also claiming that the company chooses to classify workers in one position but requires them to do the work of another job title, using this as a way to avoid paying overtime. The union hopes to recover the unpaid overtime that they claim is owed to thousands of employees.
Representatives from the defendant have stated that they follow all laws regarding the classification of employees and that they pay the appropriate wages.
Call Centers Are A Common Source Of Wage Violation
Sadly, these call center employees are not the first to allege that they aren’t being paid their fair wages. Throughout the country, call center employees have suffered from common wage violations.
An Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit Is Possible
The Fair Labor and Standards Act (FLSA) protects American workers who qualify for overtime pay. Under the FLSA, all non-exempt employees must be properly compensated for their time worked.
This starts at the “first principal activity of the workday” and ends at the “last principal activity of the workday”. Yet, again and again, call centers push workers to do tasks essential to their position “off the clock”.
A wage violation lawsuit is filed so that those who have been the victim of a wage violation have the change to fight for the compensation they have earned.
Unsure of how much overtime you may be owed? Read our page on how to properly calculate overtime pay.
How Do I Proceed With A Wage Violation Lawsuit?
If you believe that you have been taken advantage of by your employer, contact our law firm as quickly as possible. Our legal team has significant experience protecting the rights of workers. We focus on wage violation law so you can rest easy knowing that we are fully dedicated to you and workers like you.
One of our attorneys will review your case and then go over each step of the legal process so that there are no surprises. We understand how stressful it is to take legal action and our goal is to ensure that our clients feel comfortable moving forward.
Can I Be Fired For Filing A Lawsuit?
Yes, it is possible that you may lose your job if you choose to file a lawsuit. The FLSA protects workers who choose to report their employers for wage violations. If you are fired for filing a lawsuit, additional legal action can be taken.
