A collective action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio claims Blue Grass Satellite and Security pressured its technicians to not report overtime hours despite knowing the employees worked the extra time. The suit seeks to recover unpaid overtime to the company’s technicians who install and repair DRECTV equipment to residential and business customers.

According to legal documents, the two current workers who are bringing the case on behalf of all employed technicians were paid on a job rate basis without receiving time-and-a-half premium pay for work hours totaling more than 40 in a given week. The suit charges Blue Grass, a.k.a. JBM, with pressuring its employees to not report the overtime work.

The Getman Law Office of New Paltz, New York and the Langendorf Law Office of Middletown, Ohio said the suit joins a list of similar suits against DIRECTV installation companies charged with similar violations. The plaintiffs are seeking unpaid overtime wages and “liquidated” or double damages as allowed under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

According to the law firms, the federal overtime law is a new piece of legislation designed to ensure reasonable hours of work and pay for all U.S. workers.

“The telecommunications industry routinely underpays installation and repair technicians,” said plaintiff attorney Dan Getman. “The practice of not paying time-and-a-half overtime is unfortunately common, but it is generally illegal unless there is a specific exemption stated in the law itself.”

DIRECTV declined SkyREPORT’s request for comment.