HOUSTON--A Katy employee is suing an oil and gas production company, alleging unpaid overtime wages.
Eric Cruz, individually and for all others similarly situated, filed a collective action complaint Sept. 8 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against ConocoPhillips and ConocoPhillips Company, alleging unpaid overtime in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
According to the complaint, Cruz and other members of the collective worked for ConocoPhillips as project leads, regularly working more than 80 hours per week, for which they were paid a day rate with no overtime pay. The suit says ConocoPhillips unlawfully classified Cruz and other members in the collective as independent contractors in order to avoid any obligation to pay overtime.
Cruz and others seek to recover unpaid overtime wages and liquidated damages, plus attorney fees and court costs. They are represented by attorneys Paul J. Lukas, Michele R. Fisher and Alexander M. Baggio of Nichols Kaster PLLP in Minneapolis (pending pro hac vice).
Houston District of the Southern District of Texas case number 4:15-cv-02573.