By Brian Smith
MLive
LANSING — A federal judge dismissed a suit this week alleging the Michigan Department of Corrections had violated federal minimum wage and overtime laws with regard to corrections officers.
More than 30 officers had filed the suit in July, and several hundred more stood to benefit if the suit had gone forward on claims that the corrections department was failing to pay wages for officers who spent fewer than six minutes before or after their scheduled shifts preparing for work.
The officers alleged they were not paid for the time spent before their shifts undergoing security checks, uniform inspections, receiving daily assignments, testing equipment and receiving reports from guards going off-duty.
Officers also alleged they were not paid for post-shift activities such as turning in equipment, signing log books and clocking out on their time clocks.
Lawyers from Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office, representing the corrections department, had argued the officers were barred from bringing the suit because of sovereign immunity and because the federal Fair Labor Standards Act did not allow for individual employees to file lawsuits.
Full story: Federal judge dismisses suit over prison guard overtime claims