Appeals court reverses ruling for DuPont in overtime lawsuit

A federal appeals court panel has overturned a ruling in favor of the DuPont Co. in a lawsuit filed by employees claiming they were denied overtime pay.

 

The panel ruled late last week that a Pennsylvania judge erred in granting summary judgment to DuPont in 2014 and remanded the case for further proceedings.

The plaintiffs argued that they were entitled to overtime pay for time spent donning and doffing uniforms and protective gear and performing “shift relief” duties before and after their regularly-scheduled shifts.

DuPont said it could offset compensation it gave plaintiffs for meal breaks, which the company was not required to do, against such required overtime.

The judge said the Fair Labor Standards Act did not prohibit DuPont from using paid non-work time to offset the required overtime.