The U.S. Department of Labor has achieved a significant victory with a consent judgment and injunction designed to recover $72,000 in unpaid wages, along with liquidated damages, for 20 affected workers.
The case involved an Oklahoma employer who incorrectly applied the agricultural exemption to retail employees and neglected to pay overtime for hours worked beyond 40 in a week.
Court Ruling Details
On October 18, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma ruled against Robert K. Cook, III, the operator of Rob’s Sod Inc. and Cook’s Farmland Enterprises LLC.
These businesses are known under various names, including Green Acre Sod Farm, Green Acre Sod & Landscape Center, and Enterprise Sod and Landscape Center, with locations in Grove, Lawton, Owasso, and Stillwater.
This ruling stemmed from an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
Business Overview
Green Acre Sod Farm oversees extensive agricultural activities, managing around 10,000 acres in Bixby and Haskell, Oklahoma, along with 6,000 acres situated along the Red River in Texas and another 2,000 acres in Mount Vernon, Missouri.
Additionally, the company operates 10 retail outlets across Oklahoma and Missouri.
Importance of Compliance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor.
Source: Insurancejournal.com
