Overtime Pay Lawsuit Mushrooms to $17 Million

Fort Detrick, MDThe right for an employee to expect overtime pay for hours duly worked—and the need to protect that right as entrenched in legislation—is aptly reflected in the ballooning of a lawsuit that has grown from $5 million to more than $17 million against an armed security contractor.

The Frederick News-Post reported May 22 that Eagle Technologies Inc. was originally sued in March of last year. Plaintiffs alleged various violations against labor laws, not the least of which were violations to overtime rules. The US Department of Labor (DOL) has since determined that two defendants are alleged to have committed no fewer than 61 violations.

The original lawsuit was brought by about a dozen current and former employees of Eagle Technologies Inc., since purchased by Protection Strategies Inc., due to allegations by the plaintiffs that Eagle violated overtime rules and failed to reimburse employees for work-related expenses.

According to The Frederick News-Post, the plaintiffs originally sued for $5 million collectively. However, the lawsuit was amended 13 months later, in April of this year, after two of the plaintiffs claim to have suffered retaliation by their employer for having participated in the lawsuit.

The lead plaintiff claims to have been barred from the building to which Eagle provided armed security for the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), operated by the US Department of Homeland Security at Fort Detrick. A letter of reprimand was also, allegedly, posted in the NBACC lobby after plaintiff William Shank participated in a DOL investigation and spoke to the media.

A second plaintiff cites similar examples of harassment stemming from her pay for overtime complaint. Janet Fish claimed in court documents that along with a demotion and denied bonuses, she was allegedly threatened until she resigned from her job.

Plaintiff Fish, who also amended her lawsuit, noted on May 20 that additional plaintiffs have been added to the employee overtime pay lawsuit, although specific details are not yet available.

Both defendants—Eagle Technologies and Protection Strategies Inc.—have been found to have numerous violations to the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. Audit documents show that Eagle has been investigated by the Department of Labor no fewer than seven times since 2000 for various violations, overtime rules among them.