Some oilfield workers throughout the country have been misclassified resulting in a loss of overtime pay. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) employees are entitled to time and a half for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a 7-day workweek unless exempt. For years, oil companies have improperly utilized certain exemptions to the FLSA overtime requirements to deny oilfield workers their overtime pay. The positions include Field Engineer, Field Specialist, Fluid Technician, Mud Engineer, MWD Driller, Coil Tubing Operator, Directional Driller, Surveyor, Camp Manager, Pipeline Inspector, Sand Operator, Field Technician, Wire Operator, Gauger, Measurement Tech or any variation of these positions.
While working for oil companies, these oilfield workers regularly work in excess of 80 hours a week, often including daily 12-hour shifts. The jobs include manual, repetitive labor, with no supervisory administration over other positions or workers. Based on this description, these oilfield workers should be compensated for overtime work. Nonetheless, many are improperly compensated based on a salary rate and a daily field bonus with no consideration of hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
Oilfield workers who were compensated by a salary without compensation for overtime in the last 3 years may be entitled to unpaid wages. If you worked in this field within the last 3 years, you are encouraged to contact an attorney to discuss your rights. Call Bohrer Law Firm, LLC for a free consultation.
