May 31st, 2017

​U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Opinions
Dewan v. M-I, LLC

Docket: 16-20182
Opinion Date: May 30, 2017
Judge: Leslie H. Southwick
Areas of Law: Labor & Employment Law

Plaintiffs, two oilfield workers, filed suit against their employer for unpaid overtime wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. 201 et seq. The district court granted summary judgment to the employer, based on the company's affirmative defense that plaintiffs fell under the administrative exemption of the FLSA. The Fifth Circuit reversed and remanded, holding that genuine disputes of material fact affect whether the exemption applies to plaintiffs. In this case, the limited factual record could reasonably be interpreted to provide two different understandings of the scope of plaintiffs' discretionary authority and independent judgment.