BS Live Pork is facing a proposed class action lawsuit alleging it failed to properly compensate hourly employees at its Beardstown, Illinois pork plant for overtime wages.
Former employee Darrin Force filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, citing violations of the Illinois Minimum Wage Law. The lawsuit claims that JBS did not pay workers for required pre- and post-shift activities, such as putting on and removing protective gear and cleaning up—tasks that could account for up to 30 minutes of unpaid work daily.
Force, who worked at the plant from 2018 to 2022, seeks to represent a class of over 500 current and former employees who regularly worked more than 37.5 hours per week during the past three years. The lawsuit demands compensation for unpaid wages, damages, penalties, interest, and legal fees.
The case joins a growing number of “donning and doffing” lawsuits across the meatpacking industry, which have seen mixed outcomes in courts nationwide. JBS has not yet issued a formal response to the complaint.
Why it matters:
With labor rights and transparency in focus across the ag and meat sectors, this case could set precedent in how pre- and post-shift duties are valued and compensated in pork production facilities.
Stay tuned to Swine Web for updates as this case develops.
