In the case of White v. US Corrections, Dana White works as an extradition officer for US Corrections, which is a company providing transportation for prisoners. White claims the company had violated the FLSA by not compensating her for her overtime work.
According to the Motor Carrier Act (MCA), any employee who works for these types of companies, whether their work is directly or indirectly related to transporting goods, will be exempt from overtime pay. In this case, US Corrections is a motor carrier company doing interstate transportation which means that White is exempt from receiving overtime compensation.
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), an agency that enforces labor law in Texas, further confirmed that MCA also applies to employees who coordinate transportation for passengers.
In the end, the court dismissed Dana White’s claims and argument that she should not be classified under the MCA. The MCA is very broad and can apply to various types of transportation jobs so such employees need to consult an attorney beforehand in regards to overtime violations.
Key lessons from this case:
- Texas law generally follows the federal law when it comes to overtime claims
- Although not explicitly a driver, the MCA can still apply to any transportation-related jobs. Therefore, it is important to know where your employment lies in the category of exempt or not exempt from overtime pay.
If you want to know more about overtime regulations, read our guide on Texas Overtime Laws.
