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Perez v. Mountaire Farms

Perez v. Mountaire Farms

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

January 26, 2011, Argued; June 7, 2011, Decided

No. 09-1917, No. 09-1966

Opinion

 [*360]  KEENAN, Circuit Judge:

Luisa Perez, an employee of Mountaire Farms, Inc. and Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc. (collectively, Mountaire), filed this action on behalf of herself and similarly-situated employees (collectively, the employees) to recover wages and liquidated damages under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 201, et seq., for time spent donning and doffing protective gear during the workday at Mountaire's poultry processing plants. The district court held that the activities identified by the employees are compensable as "work" under the FLSA, and that Mountaire's failure to pay the employees for these activities constituted a violation of the FLSA.

We agree with the district court in substantial part and hold that the time spent donning and doffing protective gear at the beginning and the end of each workday is compensable as "work" under the FLSA. However, based on this Court's decision in Sepulveda v. Allen Family Foods, Inc., 591 F.3d 209 (4th Cir. 2009),  [**3] cert. denied, 131 S. Ct. 187, 178 L. Ed. 2d 42 (2010), decided after the district court entered judgment in the present case, we are required to hold that the mid-shift donning and doffing of protective gear at the employees' meal break is not compensable. Perez v. Mountaire Farms, Inc., 610 F. Supp. 2d 499, 516 (D. Md. 2009).

Additionally, we affirm the district court's holding that Mountaire's violations of the FLSA were not "willful" and, accordingly, a two-year statute of limitations is applicable to the employees' claims for "back pay." Lastly, we affirm the district court's holding that Mountaire acted in good faith and the court's resulting decision declining to award liquidated damages to the employees.

Mountaire is a company that engages in the slaughtering, 1 and distribution of chickens and chicken parts. Mountaire operates chicken processing plants in Selbyville and Millsboro, Delaware.

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650 F.3d 350 *; 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 11547 **; 161 Lab. Cas. (CCH) P35,914; 18 Wage & Hour Cas. 2d (BNA) 1013

LUISA PEREZ; ELVIN FRANCISCO GONZA OSOVIO, Individually and on behalf of all persons similarly situated, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. MOUNTAIRE FARMS, INCORPORATED, a Delaware Corporation; MOUNTAIRE FARMS OF DELAWARE, INCORPORATED, a Delaware Corporation, Defendants-Appellants, and RAY BARRIENTOS; MARIA GOMEZ; JUANA MIGUEL; GIBRAN MOYA RIVERA; GLORIA PANETO CASTRO; SHITWA PEREZ LOPEZ; JOSE ANTONIO SANTIAG LUGO; MARITZA ALCOVER; JULIO CIFUENTES; JUAN C. COMPIAN; CARMEN OTERO; IRMA R. PEREZ; JULISA SANCHEZ; CARLOS TOLLINICHI LOPEZ; DAYSI DE JESUS VANEGAS; HAYDEE A. BETANCOURT; WILLIAM VELAZQUEZ RIVERA; LUZ E. VILLAREAL; CELSO ESCALANTE LOPEZ; MANUEL M. HERRERA; LUIS LOPEZ ORTOLAZA; ALEX J. MILLET CABAN; JORGE L. NEGRON MARTINEZ; JANNETT RAMIREZ SEPULVEDA; CHRISTIAN H. SERRANO; CATALINA VELASQUEZ; AVILA E. AVILA; JUAN ROSA CAMACHO; VICTOR MANUEL DIAZ; RAFAEL FONSECA VILLAFANE; YAMILETTE GARCIA QUINONES; LUIS R. IRIZARRY; ELIDAD PERALES; MARIA PEREZ MARRERO; SANDRA RIVERA DIAZ; PEDRO TIRADO BARRETO; YAHAIRA TORRES CINTRON; VICTOR G. TORRES LOPEZ; ANTELMA VASQUEZ; BRIAN VAZQUEZ PEREZ; ANA M. PUENTES; ABNER VELEZ SILVA; ANA MARIA ZAMORA; RAQUEL ARCE RAMOS; ERNESTO BENAVIDES; ANGEL LUIS CALDERON SUAREZ; VICENTE CASTRO, JR.; OSCAR COLON MANGUAL; MARISOL COTTO RODRIGUEZ; JERRY FAMANIA ROCHE; MARIA FEBREZ; GUILLERMO GONZALEZ; SYLVIA GONZALEZ; ELVIA GUDINO; RAFAEL INFANTE; ANGEL M. MUNOZ PEREZ; ROSA R. NIEVES; RUFINA ORTIZ; ABEL ORTIZ MAZARIEGOS; CUAUHTEMOC RAMIEZ; HECTOR ZALAZAR; AGUSTIN BRAVO GONZALES; LEONEL BUENO; ALBERTO COLON CRUZ; IVAN CRESPO; OLGA GALARZA OSORIO; VICTOR GRACIA LOPEZ; WALDERMAR MENDEZ VAZQUEZ; ROMELIA PEREZ; FLORENCIA PEREZ ESCALANTE; MAURICIO PUCIO; MARIA J. RIVERA; ESPERANZA RODRIGUEZ; RAMON RODRIGUEZ GUZMAN; RUBEN VELASQUEZ; IDELIZ VELASQUEZ VARGAS; JESUS MALPICA VELEZ; BRENDA MATOS CARABALLO; SOFIA MEDRANO; HUTO MORALES; EDGARDO ORTIZ HERNANDEZ; THOMAS PADILLA SILVA; LENNY SANTIAGO LEBRON; RODOLFO VELEZ CUBERO; ADRIAN BRIZENO; CASTILLO MANUEL MONTES; MARY L. GARCIA; PAULA MEJIA MENDEZ; ELEAZAR PEREZ ORTIZ; FELIX BONILLA; ANDREW A. LONG; JULIAN MORALES; STACEY M. NORAT ROSA; JEAN PAUL SOUIL; ADRIAN D. WHITE, SR.; DENES ALEXANDRE; DIEUPUIFAIT ALLIUS; MARIE G. ALLIUS; JOSE MANUEL ANAYA; JOS C. ANGELES; ERIC AYALA CRUZ; ELIZABETH BAEZ; JOSE L. BAEZ RIVERA; AUDIN BATAILLE; JOHANNA BERMUDEZ; CARLOS G. BIRRIEL PEREZ; SOLANGE BLANCHARD; FLORIBERTO BONOLA ARELLANO; CASSANDRA BOWDEN; ANABEL BUSANET VEGA; LEONIDE M. CANTAVE; JESUS CARRION; EXALUS CHARLERON; JAMES A. DALE; TIMOTHY O. DORSEY; MARIE N. DORVILIER; LUXONE DORVILUS; JUDITH DUCTAN; ABSALON DUVERGER; SOLIA C. DUVERGER; RIGOBERTO ESCALANTE; MARIA ESTRADA; MICHAEL D. FARIAS; MARIO FELICIANO FLORES; LIDUVINA FIGUEROA; DAVID T. FOGG; JAMES FRAZIER; LEON N. FRAZIER; MELVIN O. GIDDINS; MARTA GONZALES; ROBERTO J. GONZALEZ; MAYRA GONZALEZ SANTIAGO; LARRY HARMON; MARIA HERNANDEZ; MANUEL M. HERRERA; BERRIOS HERRERA HAMILTON; ROMELUS JEAN-LUCNER; JEAN C. DE JESUS; ELEAZAR JIMENEZ; ERICK JIMENEZ TIRADO; JAMES JOHNSON; LISSON JOSEPH; ANIA B. JULES; JULIEN JULES; JEOMAR LEBRON RIVERA; JOY LECATES; JAQUES LITUS; MARIE YOLENE LOUIS; FERNANDO MALDONADO; ENID MANDEZ VAZQUEZ; IVAN MARRERO; ESPERANZA MARTELL; LUIS S. MARTINEZ; INTERMO MAZARIEGOS; JESSE MEEKS; JUAN MERCADO; NAYRA MERCADO GUERRA; LINDA MERCADO MORALES; CHARLES MOOD, JR.; JOSE MORALES; NELIA MORALES; SYLVIANA MORIDEN; INES MUNGUIA; EDWIN NIEVES NIEVES; YASHIRA M. OCASIO RIVERA; MANFORD ONEY; ANDREA OSTEN; JERRY J. PATTON; CHARLES L. PAYTON; DELMAR PEREZ GODINES; ELIAS PEREZ MAZARIEGOS; BETZAIDA PEREZ MENDEZ; RICARDO QUINONES ROMAN; ANGEL ALICEA RAMIREZ; JANNETTE RAMIREZ SEPULVEDA; JULIE L. RAMOS; CYNTHIA REDDICK; IRWIN RIVERA; GILBERTO RIVERA LABOY; JONATHAN RIVERA; JUANA ROBLERO DE LEON; IVAN RODRIGUEZ; JULIO RODRIGUEZ CEDENO; ABDIEL RODRIQUEZ CRESPO; RUBEN RUMOS; CYNTHIA SANCHEZ; MONICA SANCHEZ; DERSY SANCHEZ CASTRO; GISELLE D. SANTIAGO; BRENDA SASTRE; RICHARD L. SATCHELL; VICTOR SEGARRA VAZQUEZ; RAFAEL D. SILVERIO; BONAFICIO SOLOMON; DOLORES SOLOMON; KELLY TAYLOR; HENRY TEXEIRA JIMENEZ; CHARLES E. TIMMONS, JR.; DAVID TORRES; JASON TORRES RODRIGUEZ; GRACE TURNAGE; ANEL ULYSSE; FRANCISCO VARGAZ-FRANQUI; LUIS A. VASQUEZ; NIURKA M. VELEZ MONTALVO; SANDRA E. VILLATA; LENA ROMAN VILLEGAS; VELUS VIRGILE; SANDY DEE WILLIAMS; BESSIE A. WRIGHT; DAVID ADAMS; ELISEE ARISTE; CARLOS CINTRON; MARIA CISNEROS; YARLEEM COLON GARCIA; MANDEL CORBIN; WILLIAM CUFFEE; FRED D. CUSTIS; MENIEZE GUSTIN; ALONZO HAGANS; SYLPHANE JEAN LESTIN; JOHNNY J. LOPEZ; MANUEL LOPEZ; LARRY MCCOY COOPER; CAROD MERISE; DAUEYSON NEGRON; JENNIFER PENA AYALA; MARIBEL PEREZ; LILIA B. RIVERA; PIERRE L. SAINT HILAIRE; TYRELL TIMMONS; SUSAN TRIPP; MARILU VELEZ CLAUDIO; LUIS E. ALVARADO MORALES; JOYCE A. ASKIUS; NOEL BARRIOS; PAUL DESRARIUS; OLISIA DUCTAN; JOSEPH L. GARCIA; SYLVIA GONZALEZ; GUILLERMINA GUERRERO; JAVIER HERNANDEZ; CLARETTA JACKSON; ERIC RESTO; RIOS EDUARDO RUIZ; MOISES RIVERA; ALBERTO RIVERA FALCON; SARA J. ROCHA; JULIANA RODRIGUEZ ANDINO; ADELA J. SANCHEZ; NEREDIA ELIZABETH WRIGHT; MARIE L. ALTENOR; CARMEN SILVIA APODACA; JAMES L. BOLDEN; SAINT-REMY CHARLES; RENISE FLORESTAL; LUIS C. GARZA; MARIA DE LA LUZ GONZALEZ; GIL GONZALEZ; ROSA GONZALEZ; SALVADOR GUERRERO ROMERO; LOUISE V. HARRIS; VILLA LOUIGENE; LUIS R. RIVERA MARRERO; YOLANDA MARTINEZ; FRANCISCO A. MEDINA; ELIE MONFORT; BLANCA A. PERDOMO; CARLOS LUIS PEREZ; JESUS M. QUEZADA; CARLOS J. REYES; OFELIA RODRIGUEZ; MIGUEL A. SANTIAGO RODRIGUEZ; BERENICE S. SANTOS; LAMONT D. SAVAGE; CHARLES SAVAGE, JR.; GLYDIS A. SMITH; ALMA VENEGAS; FRANCISCO ZAMORA, SR.; CHERYL ZAMUDIO; ERNST CANTAVE; ANTONIO CARTER; WILLIAM CESAR; MALVIN CINTRON ORTIZ; IRIS N. CIRINO PIZARRO; REGINA CISNEROS; JOHNIE CONQUEST; GUADALUPE DIAZ PEREZ; ERENA FLAMER; MARIE GEORGES; PERR GIDDENS; JENNIFER GONZALEZ; MAURICE GORDON; EVERARDO J. JUAREZ; YOON SOO KWAK; MARIA HERMINIA MOORE; CARLOS MORALES COLON; SHAWN S. MULLEN; TRACY A. NOCK; MERCELANT OCEAN; LAVI ORAS; CLAUDIA ORTEGA; JUAN PAGAN SANTIAGO; MICHELLE POINTDUJOUR; GLORIA R. PUMPHREY; JOAN QUINONES; AMALIA E. ROMERO; JESSICA M. ROSARIO RIVERA; IVRAY SAULS; VIERGELA SENAT; JESSIE R. SINGLETARY; ANNIE L. STEPHENS; OLIVER THORNTON; LAURA TOVAR; JUDITH WILLIAMS; SUZETTE JEAN BAPTISTE; PAULETTE CHARLERON; MARTHA CESAR; LELIE DICE; SHARON L. EATON; LEFILS FLORESTAL; MELVINA MARIE GIBBS; FREDIS A. GUZMAN; MICHAEL A. JACKSON; RAYMOND JOHNSON; WILFRID LENEUS; FRANCOIS LIFRANCE; AUGUSTO LOPEZ; ONER O. NEVAREZ ORTIZ; ALCE ODARIS; MILAGRO DORIS PASCUAL; ROLAND H. RAUT; CARLOS M. ROBLES DELGADO; JUAN A. SANTIAGO VELASQUEZ; LEON SMITH; BRENDA STURGIS; NOELIA I. VARGAS; REYNALDO VEGA; VALERIE WASHINGTON; LAURA ASCENCIO; MAGDALENA BRAVO; ELFISE CASSEUS; JOCELINE DESFINES; ARIEL DIAZ MORALES; JOHN H. EVANS; LOURDA MARIE EXANTUS; SELBO FREJUSTE; WILKELY GARCIA; ELVIRA GONZALEZ; MARIA GONZALEZ MONTERROZO; KARINA GUOX-ARQUETA; RENE GUTIERREZ; WANDA I. MELENDEZ; PHILLIPE MONFISTON; JULIANA G. MONTERROZO; MARIE GABRIELLE MONTILUS; CARLOS M. MUNIZ TORREZ; DONNE OGUEZANA; FRANTZ PIERRE; YOUBENS PIERRE; VALERIE PINKETT; GUILSON POLYNICE; TIMOTHY PUMPHREY; CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ; VICTOR RODRIGUEZ; BAYRON ROJAS; ELIESE ROMAIN; MARIE L. ROSIER; ISMAEL RUPERTO; CRAIG SATCHELL; DONTA E. VICKERS; JASON TOVAR; JUAN PEDRO VASQUEZ; JUN JIE ZHENG; DIANA ALCIUS; CLARENCE BURTON; HECTOR D. CABAN; RUBEN CARDONA LUGO; FIRANA DESRAVINES; MATHURIN EXUME; CHOISIUS FLORESTAL; PEDRO GIL GALINDO; SERGIO HERRERA; CHARLES LECIUS; DULCE JESSICA LEYVA; ABNER MALDONADO; BERNARD MONTULUS; CARLINE MURAT; DONEL PIERRE; JEAN M. PIERRE-LOUIS; SARAI RODRIGUEZ RAMOS; ELIZABETH ROSARIO; ZAIDA IVEETT SANTOS CORREA; ANTHONY T. HOUSTON; BERNARDA VENTURA; AURELIA GIL VENTURA; MARGARITA GIL VENTURA; JEAN LESLY CHARLES; JACQUES DECEMBRE; MARIE YANICK DELVA; JEAN DUMONVIL LIMA; MARIE M. GUERRIER; ARISTEN ILERA; LAUMISE ILERA; ROBELDO LOPEZ; AMERICA D. MACEDO; REYMUNDO MARTINEZ; TOMAS MAZARIEGOS VELASQUEZ; JEAN MONDESTIN; JEAN LOUIS NOEL; RAMIRO NORIEGA; MIGUEL A. ORTIZ SERRANO; OMAIRA OTERO MARRERO; LARRY D. PHILLIPS; AMELICE PIERRE; GADOUL PIERRILUS; JULIO ANGEL SANTIAGO PADILLA; RANDY DE JESUS SOTO, Claimants, PUBLIC JUSTICE CENTER; LEGAL AID BUREAU, INCORPORATED; LEGAL AID JUSTICE CENTER; MARYLAND EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION; METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION; SECRETARY OF LABOR, U.S. Department of Labor, Amici Supporting Appellee.LUISA PEREZ; ELVIN FRANCISCO GONZA OSOVIO, Individually and on behalf of all persons similarly situated, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. MOUNTAIRE FARMS, INCORPORATED, a Delaware Corporation; MOUNTAIRE FARMS OF DELAWARE, INCORPORATED, a Delaware Corporation, Defendants-Appellees, and RAY BARRIENTOS; MARIA GOMEZ; JUANA MIGUEL; GIBRAN MOYA RIVERA; GLORIA PANETO CASTRO; SHITWA PEREZ LOPEZ; JOSE ANTONIO SANTIAG LUGO; MARITZA ALCOVER; JULIO CIFUENTES; JUAN C. COMPIAN; CARMEN OTERO; IRMA R. PEREZ; JULISA SANCHEZ; CARLOS TOLLINICHI LOPEZ; DAYSI DE JESUS VANEGAS; HAYDEE A. BETANCOURT; WILLIAM VELAZQUEZ RIVERA; LUZ E. VILLAREAL; CELSO ESCALANTE LOPEZ; MANUEL M. HERRERA; LUIS LOPEZ ORTOLAZA; ALEX J. MILLET CABAN; JORGE L. NEGRON MARTINEZ; JANNETT RAMIREZ SEPULVEDA; CHRISTIAN H. SERRANO; CATALINA VELASQUEZ; AVILA E. AVILA; JUAN ROSA CAMACHO; VICTOR MANUEL DIAZ; RAFAEL FONSECA VILLAFANE; YAMILETTE GARCIA QUINONES; LUIS R. IRIZARRY; ELIDAD PERALES; MARIA PEREZ MARRERO; SANDRA RIVERA DIAZ; PEDRO TIRADO BARRETO; YAHAIRA TORRES CINTRON; VICTOR G. TORRES LOPEZ; ANTELMA VASQUEZ; BRIAN VAZQUEZ PEREZ; ANA M. PUENTES; ABNER VELEZ SILVA; ANA MARIA ZAMORA; RAQUEL ARCE RAMOS; ERNESTO BENAVIDES; ANGEL LUIS CALDERON SUAREZ; VICENTE CASTRO, JR.; OSCAR COLON MANGUAL; MARISOL COTTO RODRIGUEZ; JERRY FAMANIA ROCHE; MARIA FEBREZ; GUILLERMO GONZALEZ; SYLVIA GONZALEZ; ELVIA GUDINO; RAFAEL INFANTE; ANGEL M. MUNOZ PEREZ; ROSA R. NIEVES; RUFINA ORTIZ; ABEL ORTIZ MAZARIEGOS; CUAUHTEMOC RAMIEZ; HECTOR ZALAZAR; AGUSTIN BRAVO GONZALES; LEONEL BUENO; ALBERTO COLON CRUZ; IVAN CRESPO; OLGA GALARZA OSORIO; VICTOR GRACIA LOPEZ; WALDERMAR MENDEZ VAZQUEZ; ROMELIA PEREZ; FLORENCIA PEREZ ESCALANTE; MAURICIO PUCIO; MARIA J. RIVERA; ESPERANZA RODRIGUEZ; RAMON RODRIGUEZ GUZMAN; RUBEN VELASQUEZ; IDELIZ VELASQUEZ VARGAS; JESUS MALPICA VELEZ; BRENDA MATOS CARABALLO; SOFIA MEDRANO; HUTO MORALES; EDGARDO ORTIZ HERNANDEZ; THOMAS PADILLA SILVA; LENNY SANTIAGO LEBRON; RODOLFO VELEZ CUBERO; ADRIAN BRIZENO; CASTILLO MANUEL MONTES; MARY L. GARCIA; PAULA MEJIA MENDEZ; ELEAZAR PEREZ ORTIZ; FELIX BONILLA; ANDREW A. LONG; JULIAN MORALES; STACEY M. NORAT ROSA; JEAN PAUL SOUIL; ADRIAN D. WHITE, SR.; DENES ALEXANDRE; DIEUPUIFAIT ALLIUS; MARIE G. ALLIUS; JOSE MANUEL ANAYA; JOS C. ANGELES; ERIC AYALA CRUZ; ELIZABETH BAEZ; JOSE L. BAEZ RIVERA; AUDIN BATAILLE; JOHANNA BERMUDEZ; CARLOS G. BIRRIEL PEREZ; SOLANGE BLANCHARD; FLORIBERTO BONOLA ARELLANO; CASSANDRA BOWDEN; ANABEL BUSANET VEGA; LEONIDE M. CANTAVE; JESUS CARRION; EXALUS CHARLERON; JAMES A. DALE; TIMOTHY O. DORSEY; MARIE N. DORVILIER; LUXONE DORVILUS; JUDITH DUCTAN; ABSALON DUVERGER; SOLIA C. DUVERGER; RIGOBERTO ESCALANTE; MARIA ESTRADA; MICHAEL D. FARIAS; MARIO FELICIANO FLORES; LIDUVINA FIGUEROA; DAVID T. FOGG; JAMES FRAZIER; LEON N. FRAZIER; MELVIN O. GIDDINS; MARTA GONZALES; ROBERTO J. GONZALEZ; MAYRA GONZALEZ SANTIAGO; LARRY HARMON; MARIA HERNANDEZ; MANUEL M. HERRERA; BERRIOS HERRERA HAMILTON; ROMELUS JEAN-LUCNER; JEAN C. DE JESUS; ELEAZAR JIMENEZ; ERICK JIMENEZ TIRADO; JAMES JOHNSON; LISSON JOSEPH; ANIA B. JULES; JULIEN JULES; JEOMAR LEBRON RIVERA; JOY LECATES; JAQUES LITUS; MARIE YOLENE LOUIS; FERNANDO MALDONADO; ENID MANDEZ VAZQUEZ; IVAN MARRERO; ESPERANZA MARTELL; LUIS S. MARTINEZ; INTERMO MAZARIEGOS; JESSE MEEKS; JUAN MERCADO; NAYRA MERCADO GUERRA; LINDA MERCADO MORALES; CHARLES MOOD, JR.; JOSE MORALES; NELIA MORALES; SYLVIANA MORIDEN; INES MUNGUIA; EDWIN NIEVES NIEVES; YASHIRA M. OCASIO RIVERA; MANFORD ONEY; ANDREA OSTEN; JERRY J. PATTON; CHARLES L. PAYTON; DELMAR PEREZ GODINES; ELIAS PEREZ MAZARIEGOS; BETZAIDA PEREZ MENDEZ; RICARDO QUINONES ROMAN; ANGEL ALICEA RAMIREZ; JANNETTE RAMIREZ SEPULVEDA; JULIE L. RAMOS; CYNTHIA REDDICK; IRWIN RIVERA; GILBERTO RIVERA LABOY; JONATHAN RIVERA; JUANA ROBLERO DE LEON; IVAN RODRIGUEZ; JULIO RODRIGUEZ CEDENO; ABDIEL RODRIQUEZ CRESPO; RUBEN RUMOS; CYNTHIA SANCHEZ; MONICA SANCHEZ; DERSY SANCHEZ CASTRO; GISELLE D. SANTIAGO; BRENDA SASTRE; RICHARD L. SATCHELL; VICTOR SEGARRA VAZQUEZ; RAFAEL D. SILVERIO; BONAFICIO SOLOMON; DOLORES SOLOMON; KELLY TAYLOR; HENRY TEXEIRA JIMENEZ; CHARLES E. TIMMONS, JR.; DAVID TORRES; JASON TORRES RODRIGUEZ; GRACE TURNAGE; ANEL ULYSSE; FRANCISCO VARGAZ-FRANQUI; LUIS A. VASQUEZ; NIURKA M. VELEZ MONTALVO; SANDRA E. VILLATA; LENA ROMAN VILLEGAS; VELUS VIRGILE; SANDY DEE WILLIAMS; BESSIE A. WRIGHT; DAVID ADAMS; ELISEE ARISTE; CARLOS CINTRON; MARIA CISNEROS; YARLEEM COLON GARCIA; MANDEL CORBIN; WILLIAM CUFFEE; FRED D. CUSTIS; MENIEZE GUSTIN; ALONZO HAGANS; SYLPHANE JEAN LESTIN; JOHNNY J. LOPEZ; MANUEL LOPEZ; LARRY MCCOY COOPER; CAROD MERISE; DAUEYSON NEGRON; JENNIFER PENA AYALA; MARIBEL PEREZ; LILIA B. RIVERA; PIERRE L. SAINT HILAIRE; TYRELL TIMMONS; SUSAN TRIPP; MARILU VELEZ CLAUDIO; LUIS E. ALVARADO MORALES; JOYCE A. ASKIUS; NOEL BARRIOS; PAUL DESRARIUS; OLISIA DUCTAN; JOSEPH L. GARCIA; SYLVIA GONZALEZ; GUILLERMINA GUERRERO; JAVIER HERNANDEZ; CLARETTA JACKSON; ERIC RESTO; RIOS EDUARDO RUIZ; MOISES RIVERA; ALBERTO RIVERA FALCON; SARA J. ROCHA; JULIANA RODRIGUEZ ANDINO; ADELA J. SANCHEZ; NEREDIA ELIZABETH WRIGHT; MARIE L. ALTENOR; CARMEN SILVIA APODACA; JAMES L. BOLDEN; SAINTREMY CHARLES; RENISE FLORESTAL; LUIS C. GARZA; MARIA DE LA LUZ GONZALEZ; GIL GONZALEZ; ROSA GONZALEZ; SALVADOR GUERRERO ROMERO; LOUISE V. HARRIS; VILLA LOUIGENE; LUIS R. RIVERA MARRERO; YOLANDA MARTINEZ; FRANCISCO A. MEDINA; ELIE MONFORT; BLANCA A. PERDOMO; CARLOS LUIS PEREZ; JESUS M. QUEZADA; CARLOS J. REYES; OFELIA RODRIGUEZ; MIGUEL A. SANTIAGO RODRIGUEZ; BERENICE S. SANTOS; LAMONT D. SAVAGE; CHARLES SAVAGE, JR.; GLYDIS A. SMITH; ALMA VENEGAS; FRANCISCO ZAMORA, SR.; CHERYL ZAMUDIO; ERNST CANTAVE; ANTONIO CARTER; WILLIAM CESAR; MALVIN CINTRON ORTIZ; IRIS N. CIRINO PIZARRO; REGINA CISNEROS; JOHNIE CONQUEST; GUADALUPE DIAZ PEREZ; ERENA FLAMER; MARIE GEORGES; PERR GIDDENS; JENNIFER GONZALEZ; MAURICE GORDON; EVERARDO J. JUAREZ; YOON SOO KWAK; MARIA HERMINIA MOORE; CARLOS MORALES COLON; SHAWN S. MULLEN; TRACY A. NOCK; MERCELANT OCEAN; LAVI ORAS; CLAUDIA ORTEGA; JUAN PAGAN SANTIAGO; MICHELLE POINTDUJOUR; GLORIA R. PUMPHREY; JOAN QUINONES; AMALIA E. ROMERO; JESSICA M. ROSARIO RIVERA; IVRAY SAULS; VIERGELA SENAT; JESSIE R. SINGLETARY; ANNIE L. STEPHENS; OLIVER THORNTON; LAURA TOVAR; JUDITH WILLIAMS; SUZETTE JEAN BAPTISTE; PAULETTE CHARLERON; MARTHA CESAR; LELIE DICE; SHARON L. EATON; LEFILS FLORESTAL; MELVINA MARIE GIBBS; FREDIS A. GUZMAN; MICHAEL A. JACKSON; RAYMOND JOHNSON; WILFRID LENEUS; FRANCOIS LIFRANCE; AUGUSTO LOPEZ; ONER O. NEVAREZ ORTIZ; ALCE ODARIS; MILAGRO DORIS PASCUAL; ROLAND H. RAUT; CARLOS M. ROBLES DELGADO; JUAN A. SANTIAGO VELASQUEZ; LEON SMITH; BRENDA STURGIS; NOELIA I. VARGAS; REYNALDO VEGA; VALERIE WASHINGTON; LAURA ASCENCIO; MAGDALENA BRAVO; ELFISE CASSEUS; JOCELINE DESFINES; ARIEL DIAZ MORALES; JOHN H. EVANS; LOURDA MARIE EXANTUS; SELBO FREJUSTE; WILKELY GARCIA; ELVIRA GONZALEZ; MARIA GONZALEZ MONTERROZO; KARINA GUOXARQUETA; RENE GUTIERREZ; WANDA I. MELENDEZ; PHILLIPE MONFISTON; JULIANA G. MONTERROZO; MARIE GABRIELLE MONTILUS; CARLOS M. MUNIZ TORREZ; DONNE OGUEZANA; FRANTZ PIERRE; YOUBENS PIERRE; VALERIE PINKETT; GUILSON POLYNICE; TIMOTHY PUMPHREY; CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ; VICTOR RODRIGUEZ; BAYRON ROJAS; ELIESE ROMAIN; MARIE L. ROSIER; ISMAEL RUPERTO; CRAIG SATCHELL; DONTA E. VICKERS; JASON TOVAR; JUAN PEDRO VASQUEZ; JUN JIE ZHENG; DIANA ALCIUS; CLARENCE BURTON; HECTOR D. CABAN; RUBEN CARDONA LUGO; FIRANA DESRAVINES; MATHURIN EXUME; CHOISIUS FLORESTAL; PEDRO GIL GALINDO; SERGIO HERRERA; CHARLES LECIUS; DULCE JESSICA LEYVA; ABNER MALDONADO; BERNARD MONTULUS; CARLINE MURAT; DONEL PIERRE; JEAN M. PIERRE-LOUIS; SARAI RODRIGUEZ RAMOS; ELIZABETH ROSARIO; ZAIDA IVEETT SANTOS CORREA; ANTHONY T. HOUSTON; BERNARDA VENTURA; AURELIA GIL VENTURA; MARGARITA GIL VENTURA; JEAN LESLY CHARLES; JACQUES DECEMBRE; MARIE YANICK DELVA; JEAN DUMONVIL LIMA; MARIE M. GUERRIER; ARISTEN ILERA; LAUMISE ILERA; ROBELDO LOPEZ; AMERICA D. MACEDO; REYMUNDO MARTINEZ; TOMAS MAZARIEGOS VELASQUEZ; JEAN MONDESTIN; JEAN LOUIS NOEL; RAMIRO NORIEGA; MIGUEL A. ORTIZ SERRANO; OMAIRA OTERO MARRERO; LARRY D. PHILLIPS; AMELICE PIERRE; GADOUL PIERRILUS; JULIO ANGEL SANTIAGO PADILLA; RANDY DE JESUS SOTO, Claimants, PUBLIC JUSTICE CENTER; LEGAL AID BUREAU, INCORPORATED; LEGAL AID JUSTICE CENTER; MARYLAND EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION; METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION; SECRETARY OF LABOR, U.S. Department of Labor, Amici Supporting Appellant.

Subsequent History: US Supreme Court certiorari denied by Mountaire Farms, Inc. v. Perez, 2012 U.S. LEXIS 1728 (U.S., Feb. 27, 2012)

Prior History:  [**1] Appeals from the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, at Baltimore. (1:06-cv-00121-AMD). Andre M. Davis, District Judge.

Perez v. Mountaire Farms, Inc., 610 F. Supp. 2d 499, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35133 (D. Md., 2009)

Disposition: AFFIRMED IN PART, VACATED IN PART.

CORE TERMS

employees, doffing, gear, de minimis, district court, work shift, minutes, principal activity, indispensable, integral, walking, time spent, workday, plant, calculation, smocks, chicken, meal, beginning and end, sanitizing, processing, gloves, meal period, compensate, lockers, liquidated damages, clothes, poultry, clean, spend

Civil Procedure, Trials, Bench Trials, Appeals, Standards of Review, Clearly Erroneous Review, De Novo Review, Labor & Employment Law, Wage & Hour Laws, Scope & Definitions, General Overview, Business & Corporate Compliance, Statutory Application, Portal-to-Portal Act, Remedies, Damages, Backpay, Statute of Limitations, Abuse of Discretion, Liquidated Damages, Evidence, Burdens of Proof, Allocation, Defenses, Good Faith Defenses