IBM was sued for allegedly failing to pay overtime to thousands of its computer installers and maintenance workers throughout the United States. The suit was filed on behalf of three current and former workers, and seeks class-action status. Lawyers said they are seeking millions of dollars in back pay for employees of the world's biggest technology services provider. Experts speculated that the practice of not paying overtime to workers who deserve it was widespread in the technology industry.
The suit was filed on Tuesday in federal court on behalf of three current and former workers, and seeks class-action status to represent computer installers and maintenance workers for IBM throughout the United States.
"They were forced to work overtime without being paid in a manner that is required by the state and federal laws," attorney James Finberg said.
Employees allege they were forced to work more than 40 hours a week, and were called in on weekends without getting overtime pay. The suit seeks compensation for the past four years for affected current and former IBM workers in California, and three years back pay for those in other states. The IBM employees usually worked at an IBM clients' workplace, attorneys said.
Lawyers said they are seeking millions of dollars in back pay for employees of the world's biggest technology services provider based in Armonk, N.Y. They are also considering liquidated damages above and beyond the back wages.
More generally, experts speculated that the practice of not paying overtime to workers who deserve it was widespread in the technology industry.
Generally, executives, manager and high-level computer operators are exempt from being paid overtime premiums. However, there are others in the technology industry that are entitled to overtime pay.
John Bukovinsky, an IBM spokesman, said the company does not comment on pending litigation.
Lawyers who filed the suit settled a similar case against Computer Sciences Corp. for $24 million. Video game publisher Electronic Arts Inc. also agreed last year to pay $15.6 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by computer graphic artists who sought overtime compensation.
The case filed Tuesday is Rosenburg v. IBM, 06-0430.
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