Meat processing plant to pay $230K for failing to compensate 545 workers for pre- and post-shift work
An investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that a Nebraska meat processing plant was denying workers compensation for pre- and post-shift work. This work incudes putting on and taking off PPE, as well as time needed to clean equipment. According to the DOL, Noah’s Ark Processors LLC paid workers when they and their co-workers started task work on a “gang shift.” The practice occurred from September 2021 until February 2023, and workers were denied several minutes of pay each day while conducting pre- and post-shift work. U.S. District Court Judge John M. Gerrad issued a consent judgment and order requiring the meat processor to pay the monies owed to the workers. The company will pay $230,000 to the 545 affected workers.
In a recent quote, Wage and Hour Division District Director Marietta Taylor said, “The federal court’s ruling reinforces that employers must pay their workers for time preparing for and completing shift work. These compensable minutes each day add up to real dollars in workers’ pockets. Many of the workers in this case may not have understood their rights under federal wage laws. It is the legal responsibility of employers to pay workers all their earned wages and provide wage information in a language understood by the employee.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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