HOUSTON – A registered nurse alleges her Houston employer failed to compensate nurses for work performed during meal breaks.
Swati Bhakta-Gallier, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a complaint on Oct. 20 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Tenet Healthcare Corp., doing business as Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center, alleging that the hospital operator knowingly violated the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that the defendant does not provide "bona fide" meal periods for nurses involved with patient care directly. She alleges nurses "are required to remain responsible for patient care throughout their shifts."
The plaintiff holds Tenet Healthcare Corp. responsible because the defendant is allegedly enriched because it automatically deducted 30 minutes of compensable time from their shifts for a hypothetical meal period.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks order designating this action as a collective action, award for all unpaid wages, liquidated damages, attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses and such other and further relief. She is represented by Alex Mabry of Mabry Law Firm PLLC in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas case number 4:17-cv-03178