Debt consultants claim racial discrimination, no overtime payment

SHERMAN-Two African-American debt consultants have filed a lawsuit against their former employer, alleging they were subjected to racial discrimination and were not properly paid for overtime hours worked.

Sean Bolden and Larry Burden filed suit against Greenshield Financial Services on Oct. 22 in the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division.

Bolden and Burden worked for Greenshield Financial Services from May 2010 thought Sept. 201 as debt consultants. They state they were successful at their job and exceeded the sales quotas. Although they were among the 10 best performing debt consultants at Greenshield, they were terminated for their position. The defendant did not provide the men with a reason or justification for their termination.

The defendant is accused of terminating the men's' employment because of their race and not paying overtime compensation in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Further, the defendant is accused of breaching its contractual obligations to pay the former employees for the time they spent in training and for all of their earned commissions.

The former employees are asking for an award of unpaid compensation, including unpaid overtime, back and front pay, liquidated damages, consequential damages, actual damages, punitive damages, attorneys' fees and court costs.

Bolden and Burden are represented by Robert J. Wood, Jr. and Gregory B. Fell of Fell & Wood in Richardson.

Jury trial is requested.

Case No. 4:10-cv-00567