HOUSTON – A former Shell Oil worker alleges he was misclassified as an independent contractor and is owed unpaid wages.
Tyler Saltzman, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a complaint on Aug. 20 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Shell Oil Co. alleging violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that he worked for the defendant more than 40 hours a week without receiving overtime premium for all hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. The suit states the plaintiff was employed by the defendant as a logistics coordinator and wellsite operator from August 2017 to January.
The plaintiff holds Shell Oil Co. responsible because the defendant allegedly improperly classified him and class members as independent contractors and paid them a daily rate with no overtime compensation.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks an order allowing this action to proceed as a collective action, award for unpaid overtime wages, liquidated damages, attorneys’ fees, costs and interest and such other and further relief as may be necessary and appropriate. He is represented by Michael A. Josephson and Lindsay R. Itkin of Josephson Dunlap in Houston and Richard J. (Rex) Burch of Bruckner Burch PLLC in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas case number 4:18-cv-02878