A Harris County man is suing an energy business and two individuals, alleging unpaid overtime wages.
Jebediah Wenkenbach filed the lawsuit Aug. 31 in the Tyler Division of the Eastern District of Texas against Coody Adcock Inc., doing business as Phoenix Energy Services, Cardinal Oilfield Services, Brian Coody and William Karnes, jointly and severally.
According to the complaint, Coody Adcock, Coody and Karnes employed the plaintiff from Sept. 13, 2013, through Jan. 12, 2014, paying him a flat rate of $150 per day. The suit says in January 2014, Coody and Karnes dissolved their company, but continued the same business activities as a limited liability corporation named Cardinal Oilfield Services. From Jan. 12, 2014 to April 14, 2014, the new company paid the plaintiff a flat rate of $200 per day, the lawsuit states.
While assigned an oil well, the plaintiff says he worked 12-hour shifts seven days a week. He also occasionally helped out in the office before or after his shift at a rate of $9 per hour, the suit says.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants willfully denied him overtime compensation, per the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Wenkenbach seeks a jury trial, actual and compensatory damages, including unpaid overtime, court costs and attorney fees. He is represented by attorneys Christine A. Hopkins and Charles L. Scalise of Ross Law Group in Dallas.
Tyler Division of the Eastern District of Texas case number 6:15-cv-00804-MHS-JDL.