PITTSBURGH – Former drilling fluids consultants for a oil and natural gas exploration and production companies allege that they were only paid a flat sum for each day worked regardless of the number of hours they worked.
Joshua Serrette and Timothy Hemphill filed a complaint on behalf of all others similarly situated on July 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Division against Patriot Drilling Fluids, Q'Max Solutions and Q'Max America Inc. citing the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs worked for the defendants from 2014 to 2017 and were misclassified as independent contractors. The plaintiffs hold Patriot Drilling Fluids, Q'Max Solutions and Q'Max America Inc. responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to pay a rate of time-and-one-half for their overtime work.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek unpaid back wages, liquidated damages, interests, court costs, interest, and any further relief the court grants. They are represented by Joshua P. Geist of Goodrich & Geist P.C. in Pittsburgh.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania case number 2:17-cv-00914-AJS