Class-action lawsuit filed against national receivable management services company

A Plano woman is suing her former employers over unpaid overtime pay.

Lori Stephenson filed a class-action lawsuit Jan. 13 in the Sherman Division of the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Texas, against Southeast Credit Systems LP, Trigon Investors LLC, Jeff Hurt and Joe Longbotham, alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

She is filing suit of all others of similar situations, the complaint states.

The lawsuit states the company is a national provider of national receivable management services and the individuals are company owners. Stephenson was employed as a debt collector from October 2004 to June 5, 2013.

She, and other class members, often worked in excess of 40 hours a week, but weren't paid by the defendants one-and-a-half times pay, the complaint alleges.

The plaintiffs are seeking unpaid back wages and liquidated damages equal in amount to the unpaid compensation found due, court costs, attorney's fees and pre-judgment and post-judgment interest.

Stephenson is being represented by Jeffrey Smith and Barbara Hale of Blanscet Hooper & Hale LLP.

United States District Court Eastern District of Texas Court Case No. 4:14-CV-0019-RAS-DDB.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the United States District Court Eastern District of Texas. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.