A case was filed April 11, 2001, by Ron Hood in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri at St. Joseph
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A former radio dispatcher for emergency response and the sheriff’s department is suing Daviess County for over a quarter million dollars for unpaid wages and overtime pay.
County commissioners received notice on June 8, by certified mail, of a case filed April 11, 2001, by Ron Hood in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri at St. Joseph. The case will be heard in federal court because Mr. Hood’s complaint arises under the federal Fair Labor Standards statutes.
Ron Hood was a full time employee for Daviess County from February, 1984, until his termination on Dec. 31, 2000. He claims that he is owed an hourly minimum wage ($5.15 per hour) rather than the set monthly salary he accepted during this employment period. Mr. Hood alleges that he was paid a set amount each month regardless of the number of hours he worked and despite being required to turn in a time sheet each month. Papers filed by the plaintiff for the court case show that Mr. Hood generally worked in excess of 100 hours per week.
Mr. Hood seeks $41,823.94 in unpaid wages over the past three years and $85,550.90 in overtime pay over the last three years. The lawsuit also requests the county to pay $127,374.84 in liquidated damages.
Thus, Mr. Hood seeks a total judgment of $254,749.68 plus attorney’s fees and any prejudgment and postjudgment interest at the maximum rate allowed by law against the county. The attorney for the plaintiff is Patrick G. Reavey of Kansas City.
Daviess County will be represented by Ivan Schraeder of St. Louis, an attorney licensed to practice in federal court and recommended by the Missouri Association of Counties. No court date has been set.