Oil and Gas Production Company Accused of Refusing Overtime Pay

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Patriot Drilling Fluids, Q’Max Solutions, and Q’Max America, Inc., which together operate an oil and natural gas production company, are facing a lawsuit claiming they violated state and federal labor laws by failing to pay employees proper overtime wages. The plaintiff in the case, a Solids Control Technician, says he and similarly situated employees are required to work more than 40 hours per week without receiving overtime pay for the hours they work above 40. According to the suit, the defendants misclassify solids control technicians as exempt from overtime pay, though their job allegedly requires “very little skill, training, or initiative” and is not managerial in nature.

The plaintiff says he is responsible for separating solids from drilling fluid using screens, centrifuges, dryers, and shakers and that his duties are “largely governed by standardized plans, procedures, and checklists created by [the defendants].” Consequently, the suit argues, the plaintiff and similarly situated workers should be classified as non-exempt employees and paid time-and-a-half overtime wages.