Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether hourly employees at Smithfield Foods facilities in North East, Maryland were fully paid for all required pre-shift and post-shift work activities. Smithfield Foods operates large food production, processing, distribution, and warehouse facilities that may require employees to spend time performing required activities before and after their scheduled shifts.
What Workers Report
Workers may report:
- Walking long distances before clocking in or after clocking out.
- Being required to arrive early to obtain protective equipment, safety gear, or sanitation equipment.
- Time spent putting on, removing, gathering, cleaning, or storing required gear before or after paid time.
- Time spent walking through production areas, warehouse areas, locker rooms, or sanitation stations without pay.
- Time spent passing through facility entrances, parking areas, or required checkpoints before reaching assigned work areas.
- Not being paid for all time spent performing required activities on Smithfield Foods property.
Why Workers Should Be Concerned
Hourly workers generally must be paid for all compensable work time. Employees at food production and distribution facilities may be required to perform certain activities before clocking in or after clocking out, including obtaining equipment, complying with sanitation procedures, or walking to assigned work areas.
If employees are required to perform these activities outside their paid shifts, they may be losing wages and overtime pay.
Potential claims may include:
- Unpaid wages
- Unpaid overtime
- Failure to pay for required pre-shift and post-shift activities
- Wage-and-hour violations
Signs You May Be Affected
- You worked at a Smithfield Foods facility in North East, Maryland.
- You were required to arrive early or stay after your shift for work-related activities.
- You spent time obtaining equipment, protective gear, or sanitary clothing before your paid shift began.
- You walked to timeclocks, production areas, workstations, or required areas before or after paid time.
- You were not paid for all time spent on mandatory work-related activities.
If you have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.
[Wage Theft Contact Form]