Last month, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed one of the largest wage theft cases in the history of his office against Evergreen Acres Dairy.
According to the lawsuit, Evergreen Acres Dairy is accused of robbing hundreds of migrant workers of at least $3 million in wages while taking even more out of paychecks for poor, overcrowded housing arrangements.
“I’m outraged, and I’m upset that they’ve gotten away with it for so long,” said Ellison at a news conference.
Massive Wage Theft Alleged
The lawsuit claims that the dairy farm, which is owned by Keith Schaefer and his daughter Megan Hill, broke the law in numerous ways, including:
- Regularly shaving 12-32 hours from each two-week paycheck
- Not paying overtime premiums
- Not paying employees for their first two weeks of work
- Not paying employees their final paycheck
- Failing to keep employment records that are required by law
- Destroying timecards
- Falsifying records
The lawsuit goes on to further describe the poor housing conditions for the employees, noting that many lived in barns, garages and other buildings unfit for human habitation. The complaint also alleges that Schaefer was able to assert authority over the employees, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, by threatening to call the police on them.
“This isn’t some dystopian fiction. This isn’t ‘The Jungle’ describing the meatpacking industry 100 years ago in Chicago. This is Minnesota. This is Minnesota right now,” said Ellison.
One bright spot for employees seeking owed compensation is that Minnesota’s wage theft penalties are among the strongest in the country, and offenders can even face felony charges and prison time. Still, for many, the damage has already been done.
We hope all the employees who were unjustly treated by Evergreen Acres Farms get the justice they deserve. Remember, wage theft is a lot more common than most people realize, and you need to take action if you believe you are being underpaid. If there’s more going on with your paycheck than accidental oversight, it’s time to take action with a legal professional by your side. The team at Hey Workers have won countless wage theft lawsuits for clients in the past, and we’d be more than happy to add your name to the list should you find yourself in need of an ally.
For more information about wage theft lawsuits, or for assistance filing a more common workers’ compensation claim, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
