Federal workers sue for double back pay accrued during shutdown
Federal employees who performed work during the government shutdown are filing a lawsuit for double payment for hours worked between Oct. 1 and Oct. 5, including overtime, if applicable.
Roughly 1.3 million workers determined to be essential during the government shutdown are filing under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows workers to sue for double their usual wages to compensate for late payment. According to National Journal, the suit asks for compensation at a rate of $7.25 per hour worked. Since all workers have received initial back pay at this point, the lawsuit will provide the double back pay to which the employees are entitled under FLSA.
Attorney Heidi Burakiewicz, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of five Bureau of Prisons employees, stated in an interview with U.S. News and World Report that many of these essential government employees live paycheck to paycheck and were forced to make difficult decisions during the shutdown.
When the government reopened, Congress approved back pay for essential federal workers, but this was not adequate given the hardships many faced in the absence of pay, said Burakiewicz.
Plaintiffs wishing to join the suit can fill out a form to opt into the case.
Detailed time and attendance records can help quickly settle wage and overtime disputes as they come up.
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