Class Action Claims Baker Hughes Denied Workers Breaks

Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Inc., along with a subsidiary, may have been violating wage-and-hour laws by failing to provide workers with rest breaks in which they were entirely relieved from work duties, according to a proposed class action lawsuit.

A plaintiff in the case, accuses Baker Hughes of sometimes failing to provide rest periods after 3.5 hours work due to a need for continuous operation.

The suit claims the company failed to provide necessary breaks before every sixth consecutive hour of work, which must be “duty free” in order to fulfill federal requirements. It’s reported that workers were required to be on-call during rest and meal breaks due to inadequate staffing levels. The lawsuit is also seeking compensation for time spent on-call, which it alleges was never fairly paid.

Maurice Solaberrieta, a plaintiff in the case, accuses Baker Hughes of sometimes failing to provide rest periods after 3.5 hours work due to a need for continuous operation – a practice that might be understandable if the company then made up or compensated workers for lost rest periods. The proposed class action, however, alleges that time was not made up. The suit further claims that Baker’s wage statements are inaccurate, as the company fails to accurately record employees’ hours worked.

Solaberrieta also claims that time spent on call has not been fairly compensated. He alleges that he was required to be ready to work and available should he receive a cell phone call, and was therefore not entirely relieved of work duties.

The proposed class membership would consist of operators who worked for the company in California within the last four years on an hourly basis.

The case is Maurice Solaberrieta v. Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Inc. et al., case number BC513274, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.