PITTSBURGH — Great American Welding and Riley Power are facing a class action alleging violation of the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act.
George Hooks and Jerome Dowe, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, filed a complaint Aug. 24 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against Great American Welding Company LLC and Riley Power Group LLC alleging violation of the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act and other claims.
The plaintiffs were hourly employees of the defendants and worked at a Monaca facility, according to their class action complaint. The plaintiffs claim that employees were required to park at an offsite parking lot and often had to wait in line for more than an hour for a 20 to 60 minute shuttle bus ride to take them to their job site.
In addition, the plaintiffs claim they had to put on personal protection equipment and stand in line for 10 to 25 minutes before clocking in and at the end of the day, were required to clock out before starting the 45 minute process of getting back to the parking lot, all without compensation. They allege by law, they are entitled to a rate of 1.5 times their regularly hourly rate and are entitled to pay for their time waiting on and riding shuttle buses and donning personal protection equipment.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief, interest trial by jury and all other proper relief. They are represented by Christine Elzer and Mark Johnson of The Elzer Law Firm LLC in Pittsburgh and Pamina Ewing and Ruairi McDonnell of Feinstein Doyle Payne & Kravec LLC in Pittsburgh.