Beau Biden Named in Unpaid Overtime Suit

Three detectives (R. Durnan, G. Christian, and M. Forbes) previously employed by the Delaware Attorney General’s Office have filed charges against their former employer claiming that they were not paid overtime. The federal lawsuit claims that the failure to pay overtime was in violation of federal labor laws and that in response to their demands for overtime pay they were demoted.

The detectives named Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, Timothy Mullaney (his chief of staff) and the Delaware Department of Justice as defendants. The civil action was filed in U.S. District Court earlier this week.

Christian retired earlier this year and Durnan is set to retire in May 2014. The three were titled “detectives,” but their job duties were almost entirely made up of one task – handling the out-of-state extradition of fugitives who fled the state. The detectives allege that they all worked in excess of 40 hours/week between November 2010 and November 2013, but were never paid overtime due. According to the allegations made in the suit, Mullaney’s response to the detective’s request for overtime compensation was to reassign Durnan and Forbes to different assignments and to leave Christian in his position at a limited capacity with no overnight travel, no flying and a maximum of 37.5 hours allowed per week. The detectives claim the reassignments were retaliation. The plaintiffs seek overtime pay due, reassignment to their old positions, damages and legal fees.

Talk to the experts at Blumenthal, Nordrehaug & Bhowmik to find out if you have cause to worry about your own situation. Are you getting the overtime pay you are due?