Suit Claims Pilgrim's Pride Workers Denied Pay

Legal notices were mailed recently to Pilgrim’s Pride workers explaining their rights should they choose to join a lawsuit against the company seeking overtime pay.

According to the plaintiff's attorney in the notice:

“The Plaintiffs in this case claim that Pilgrim’s Pride does not pay its hourly chicken-processing workers for all the time they work putting on, taking off and cleaning safety and sanitary equipment, such as smocks, plastic aprons, ear plugs, safety glasses, hairnets, beard nets, plastic sleeve covers, arm guards, face masks, hard hats, rubber gloves, cotton liner gloves and metal cutting gloves. The Plaintiffs claim Pilgrim’s Pride has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. Pilgrim’s Pride denies that it has violated the law in any respect.”

The full notice and consent forms to join the suit can be found online at the Website for Cohen Milstein Hausfeld & Toll. Pilgrim’s Pride workers with questions about the suit should call the toll-free hotline at (888) 816-4995 or send e-mail to overtime@cmht.com.

The notice also tells workers that they will not risk paying any fees by joining the suit:

“Regardless of whether or not you win the case, you will not be required to pay attorneys’ fees or costs out of your own pocket. The lawyers for the Plaintiffs will be paid only if the Plaintiffs win or Pilgrim’s Pride settles the case. If that happens, these fees will either be paid by Pilgrim’s Pride, or paid out of any settlement fund, or both, as the Court directs. Plaintiffs’ counsel will not ask the Court for more than one-third of your recovery. If there is no recovery, there will be no lawyers’ fee paid to the lawyers.”

Source: Cohen Milstein Hausfeld & Toll