When workers feel they have not been paid adequately for the work they have performed, finding an employment attorney may be the first step towards justice. In Kansas, an estimated 700 workers are involved in a suit against a local slaughterhouse, alleging unfair pay.
A federal judge has granted conditional class action status to a suit brought against the Creekstone Farms' Premium Beef processing facility in Arkansas City. All production employees who were paid by the hour by Creekstone over the past three years are eligible to participate in the lawsuit.
Creekstone deploys "gang time" compensation practices at its facility, according to reports. Employees are only paid if product is moving, and for the additional 10 minutes they spend putting on and removing protective gear.
Workers say Creekstone has fallen short of its payment obligations, underpaying them for working hours. The company's attorney says employees were all treated similarly – thus justifying the case's class-action status – but insists workers received fair pay both for hours worked and overtime.
Creekstone will now be required to notify each plaintiff of the names and contact information for other parties in the suit, and post English- and Spanish-language notices of the lawsuit at their facility.
A commonality of issues is an important consideration in class action lawsuits, particularly those that stretch across state lines. Kansas City attorneys can advise clients on the merit of any potential suit against an employer, whether the issue at hand involves inadequate pay or workplace discrimination. Personal injury attorneys can also assess a particular case and its factors to see if it makes more sense to seek class action status.