In one of Chattanooga’s key economic sectors, there seems to be an industry expectation that certain employees work after hours without overtime pay, according to a former sales manager who is suing a local logistics provider.
“I have friends in the industry, and they work at different companies locally here,” said Phillip Dennis, who previously spent about two years at Trident Transport. “They work overtime all the time, and they don’t get paid for it. With Chattanooga being a logistics hub, we are a major player in our local economy here, especially through employment.”
Dennis is suing Trident Transport, alleging the Chattanooga-based company didn’t pay him overtime when he worked more than 40 hours during a week. For example, Dennis estimated that he worked 56 hours from Sept. 17-23, 2023, and 55 hours from Sept. 24-30, 2023, without overtime pay. The law firm representing Dennis, Nichols Kaster, is pursuing the case as a collective action under federal law, enabling one or more people to bring claims on behalf of others.
The lawsuit is challenging the company’s compensation practices under the Fair Labor Standards Act, alleging Dennis and other employees should have received overtime because their job duties and pay structure do not meet the requirements for exemptions under federal law.
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