On September 8, 2015, a former project lead filed a lawsuit in the Southern District Court of Texas seeking overtime pay from ConocoPhillips and ConocoPhillips Company (“Conoco”). He brought the case on behalf of himself and all other similarly situated project leads nationwide who were paid a day rate with no additional overtime premium. Plaintiff’s complaint alleges that Conoco unlawfully classified these workers as independent contractors, and failed to pay them an overtime premium in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The lawsuit seeks overtime premiums, plus double damages.
Conoco is an oil and natural gas company, with its principal focus on exploration and production activities in the United States and around the world. Conoco is the largest independent exploration and production company, based of proved reserves and production. It has operations and activities in 27 countries and employs over 18,000 people.
Plaintiff’s attorney Michele Fisher stated, “ConocoPhillips exerted significant control over these workers and demanded they work long hours in the field for weeks at a time. By misclassifying them as independent contractors, Conoco denied them overtime premiums and other benefits and protections employees should receive. Through this lawsuit, we seek to get them paid the overtime premiums provided by law.”
Plaintiffs are represented by Michele R. Fisher, Paul J. Lukas, and Alex M. Baggio from Nichols Kaster, PLLP in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The case is entitled, Cruz v. ConocoPhillips et al, Case No 4:15-cv-02573 (Southern District of Texas).
Additional information about how to make a claim in the case may be found at www.nka.com or by calling Nichols Kaster, PLLP toll free at (877) 344-4628.