In the case of Geneva Woods Pharmacy, Inc. v. Thygeson, the Alaska Supreme Court reviewed whether a salaried registered nurse was entitled to overtime pay under the Alaska Wage and Hour Act (AWHA). Roxanne Thygeson worked for Geneva Woods as a home infusion nurse and was initially misclassified as exempt from overtime. After resigning, she filed a lawsuit to recover unpaid wages for a 75-week period.
Geneva Woods admitted to misclassification but failed to provide accurate time records. As a result, the court relied on Thygeson’s testimony and mileage logs to determine she worked an average of 9.5 hours of overtime each week. The court awarded her $32,397.33 in unpaid wages, $7,313.24 in interest, $32,397.33 in liquidated damages, and $156,390.56 in attorney’s fees and costs, totaling over $228,000.
The employer challenged the ruling, but the Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s decision, citing credible testimony and insufficient evidence from the employer to dispute the overtime claims.
Key lessons from the case:
- Salaried workers may still qualify for overtime if their duties don’t meet exemption criteria under state law.
- When employers fail to maintain accurate records, courts may rely on employee estimates and supporting documents.
- State overtime laws can differ from federal rules—employers must comply with whichever is more protective.
If you want to know more about salaried employee rights, read our guide on What are my rights as a salaried employee in Alaska?
