The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that Halliburton will pay 1,016 of its workers a total of $18.2 million dollars in backed overtime wages. The ruling comes after federal investigators found that the company had incorrectly classified workers in 28 positions as being exempt from overtime.
As a result, a large number of people were not being paid correctly when they worked in excess of 40 hours per week. Drilling tech advisers, pipe recovery specialists, and field service representatives were among the affected positions. Nearly 400 of those affected are located in Texas, while the rest are spread throughout the country. Halliburton is based out of Houston, Texas.
Halliburton agreed to pay the backed wages after the Labor Department wrapped up its investigation. The company first discovered the misclassifications during a self-audit and worked closely with the federal government to correct the situation. Government representatives have lauded the company’s cooperation.
The Labor Department has been looking closely into violations in the labor and gas industry. In 2013 and 2014 the government recovered more than $15 million dollars in backed wages in the oil and gas sector alone.
In a released statement, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez noted:
“The Department of Labor takes very seriously its responsibility to ensure workers receive the wages they have earned. This settlement will put millions of dollars where they belong — in the pockets of hardworking people and their families.”
Federal law requires those who work more than 40 hours a week be compensated with a 50 percent premium for all hours over 40 worked. These overtime laws do not apply to everyone, however. For example, managers, executives, and salaried professionals generally do not have to be paid overtime.
