Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) wage-and-hour $49.5M class action settlement

The Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) agreed to a $49.5 million class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims it forced officers to work off the clock.

The settlement benefits individuals employed by MDOC in Corrections Officer I or Corrections Officer II positions between Aug. 14, 2007, and July 7, 2022. These employees may now be considered “Correctional Officers” or “Correctional Sergeants” under updated job titles. All prisons operated by MDOC are covered by the settlement.

The Missouri Department of Corrections operates prisons around the state. MDOC hires over 200 job classifications to perform essential services in corrections and offers its employees a number of employment benefits.

However, according to a class action lawsuit, corrections officers at MDOC locations may not be properly compensated for their work.

Plaintiffs in a wage-and-hour class action lawsuit claim MDOC forced its corrections officers to work off the clock before and after their shifts. Despite requiring pre- and post-shift activities, MDOC refused to compensate officers for this work, the class action lawsuit contends. As a result, plaintiffs and other corrections officers were allegedly denied regular wages.

Additionally, the plaintiffs say they were denied overtime wages by MDOC. 

If they had been paid hourly for their pre- and post-shift work, corrections officers allegedly accrued overtime hours. Plaintiffs in the wage-and-hour class action lawsuit claim these hours should have been paid at a higher overtime rate.

MDOC hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve the class action lawsuit with a $49.5 million settlement deal.

Under the terms of the MDOC settlement, class members will receive a cash payment based on the number of shifts they worked during the class period. Those who worked only a few shifts during the class period will receive much smaller payments than those who worked during the entire class period.

The settlement also guarantees payments for current and future correctional officers and sergeants. MDOC agreed to compensate these workers for an additional 15 minutes per shift to cover any pre- or post-shift work they need to complete. This compensation went into effect July 1, 2022, and will last eight years, through June 30, 2030.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Sept. 5, 2022. 

The final approval hearing for the MDOC settlement is scheduled for Oct. 11, 2022.

Class members do not have to file a claim in order to receive a payment in the Missouri Department of Corrections lawsuit settlement. However, if they wish to challenge their initial distribution, they have 45 days after receiving their payment to file a claim form to dispute their payment amount.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits individuals employed by MDOC in Corrections Officer I or Corrections Officer II positions between Aug. 14, 2007, and July 7, 2022. These employees may now be considered “Correctional Officers” or “Correctional Sergeants” under updated job titles. All prisons operated by MDOC are covered by the settlement.

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

45 days after receiving payment to file a claim form to dispute the payment amount.

Case Name

Thomas Hootselle, et al. v. Missouri Department of Corrections, Case No. t2A.C-CCoost8-ot, in the Circuit Court of Cole County, Missouri

Final Hearing

10/11/2022

Settlement Website

MDOCSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Hootselle, et al. v. Missouri Department of Corrections
CPT GROUP, Inc.
50 Corporate Park
Irvine, CA 92606
mdocsettlement@cptgroup.com
888-598-2935

Class Counsel

Gary K Burger
BURGER LAW LLC

Michael J Flannery
CUNEO GILBERT & LADUCA LLP

Defense Counsel

Deuise McElvein
Deborah Bell Yates
MISSOURI ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE