According to recent government findings, 1,300 oil patch workers in the Permian Basin have been severely underpaid over the course of their employment. So severely, in fact, that reports indicate more than $1.3 million has been withheld from these workers.
When the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Labor Department began an enforcement initiative in 2014, they discovered this serious wage problem existing for oil workers in West Texas and New Mexico. The problem comes primarily from overtime violations, amongst other issues.
Who is really at fault for these issues?
The report indicated that employers did not include bonus payments when calculating overtime rates, failed to pay for work done off-the-clock, and paid flat rates without taking into consideration how many hours their employees had actually worked. Despite these findings, however, one man says he believes part of these problems lie with the workers, not just the employees.
As an oil industry consultant, this man called the report “vague” and said that some of the information was probably based around erroneous timesheets. The Wage and Hour Division declined to respond to these accusations.
He then went on to say that if the problem does indeed exist, the workers should certainly be compensated. Hourly workers must receive time-and-a-half pay for all overtime work. An oil worker who was interviewed about the overtime violations said that all he is concerned about right now is simply not getting paid for overtime.
To read the full article on this issue, click here.
If you or someone you know is a victim of these unlawful pay practices, don’t hesitate to contact Moore & Associates. With nearly 15 years of experience, we may be able to help you get the wages you deserve. Call Moore & Associates today!
