SHERMAN - A collective lawsuit has been filed against a mud logging and drilling fluid specialist services company for failing to pay its employees overtime wages.
Claiming violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Billy L. Oxford, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed suit against Crude Essentials L.L.C., Hargroves Oil & Gas L.L.C., Curtis Hargroves and Cristi Hargroves on May 30 in the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division.
From March 2010 through June 2012, Oxford was employed by the defendants as a mud logger.
Mud logging is the creation of a detailed record (well log) of a borehole by examining the cuttings of rock or brought to the surface by the circulating drilling medium (most commonly mud).
Oxford claims that mud loggers regularly worked in excess of 40 hours per week but were not paid at one and one-half times their regular rates of pay for those excess hours. According to the lawsuit, the mud loggers were paid for the days they work.
The lawsuit is seeking an award of damages for unpaid overtime compensation, liquidated damages, attorney’s fees, interest and court costs.
The plaintiff is represented by Melissa Moore and Curt Hesse of Moore & Associates in Houston. A jury trial is requested.
Case No. 4:13-cv-00301