Murphy Anderson Settles Misclassification and Prevailing Wage Case For 100% Of Employee’s Damages
Murphy Anderson successfully represented an employee who performed dry wall work at the Colin L. Powell K-8 Academy in Fort Washington, Maryland, a public works project subject to Maryland’s prevailing wage laws. The case was brought against Gilbane Building Company, the general contractor on the project, and Elite Wall Systems, LLC, a subcontractor to Gilbane. Crispin de la Cruz alleged that the defendants misclassified him as an independent contractor and failed to pay him prevailing wages for the work he performed and overtime when he worked more than 40 hours in a workweek.
The case was resolved shortly after the complaint was filed, with an agreement for Defendants to pay the employee everything he would have received had the case been litigated to judgment against the defendants, including attorneys’ fees and costs. In approving the settlement, Judge Deborah L. Boardman noted that Murphy Anderson’s attorneys were experienced wage and hour litigators, especially Mark Hanna who has litigated more than two dozen wage and hour cases.
Mark Hanna was the lead attorney on the case, assisted by co-counsel Joni Jacobs, and law clerk Ricardo Perez. Murphy Anderson is very pleased to obtain complete relief for Mr. de la Cruz so quickly.
The case is de la Cruz v. Gilbane Building Company, et al., U.S.D.C. for the District of Maryland Docket No. DLB-23-1703.