July 11, 2023
A North Carolina federal judge nixed a collective certification request by a group of over 8,000 Smithfield Foods workers alleging they were underpaid because bonuses weren't factored into their overtime wages, ruling the proposed action would duplicate another collective suit against the meatpacking company.
January 30, 2023
A proposed collective of over 8,000 North Carolina Smithfield Foods workers accusing the meatpacking company of COVID-19 overtime pay violations should not be certified, Smithfield told a federal judge, saying they had received notice of prior suits and could have taken those past opportunities to stake their claims in court.
December 20, 2022
A North Carolina federal judge refused to toss or transfer a suit accusing meatpacking company Smithfield Foods Inc. of failing to factor a COVID-19 bonus into employees' overtime pay calculations, ruling the suit is not blocked by similar suits against the company.