Two Consultants Sue Patriot Drilling Fluids, Q’Max Over Unpaid Wages

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Two plaintiffs formerly employed as drilling fluids consultants by natural gas outfits Patriot Drilling Fluids, Q’Max Solutions and Q’Max Solutions, Inc. have sued the companies over allegations that they and other workers are owed unpaid overtime wages. The lawsuit alleges the defendants misclassified proposed class members as independent contractors, rather than employees, and paid the workers a flat day-rate without rightful time-and-a-half hourly overtime compensation for any worktime that surpassed 40 hours in a given week. The plaintiffs argue that despite the defendants’ classification, they’re entitled to protection under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Pennsylvania and Ohio labor laws since the companies “exercised control over all aspects of their job.”