Offshore Oil Worker Files Fair Labor Standards Act Collective Action Against National Oilwell Varco Alleging Misclassification and Failure to Pay Overtime

FORT WORTH, Texas – Richard Albert Gammill, III, filed suit against National Oilwell Varco (NOV) in the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, Case Number 4:17-cv-02695 on September 7, 2017.  The lawsuit alleges that Gammill’s former employer misclassified him and other similarly-situated manual laborers as exempt from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Gammill worked as a solids control engineer on offshore oil platforms for NOV for approximately two years.  Gammill regularly put in twelve-hour days for 28-day periods without a day off, and without being paid overtime.  The suit seeks collective action certification for other manual laborers like Mr. Gammill who were not paid overtime as required by the FLSA.

Mr. Gammill has requested a trial by jury and is seeking to recover his unpaid wages, liquidated damages, attorney’s fees and costs.  “Workers are entitled to be paid time and ½ for all hours worked over 40 hours per work week if they are non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act,” said John David Hart of the Law Offices of John David Hart in Fort Worth, Texas.  “This is certainly true for non-exempt workers in the oil and gas industry who work extremely long hours in dangerous conditions, whether on land-based rigs or offshore.”

The Law Offices of John David Hart is a law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of those injured or wronged by the acts of others.  Mr. Hart represents families and individuals in Texas and other states in overtime litigation, catastrophic personal injury cases, wrongful death cases, oil and gas injury and death cases, automobile and eighteen wheel truck crashes, workplace injuries, dangerous drug and medical device cases and other matters.

For more information contact: John David Hart, johnhart@hartlaw.com, 817-870-2102