Henderson v. S & K Security Consultants, Inc.
Case Details
- Nature of Suit — the legal category of the dispute
- Labor: Fair Standards
- Status — whether other courts must follow this ruling
- Unknown
- Procedural Posture — the stage the case had reached
- default judgment
- State
- Maryland
- Circuit
- Fourth Circuit
Related Laws
No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Claim Types
Outcome
Plaintiff Katrina Henderson obtained a default judgment against S&K Security Consultants, Inc. for failure to pay overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act and District of Columbia wage laws. The court awarded unpaid wages of $26,539.55, liquidated damages of $79,618.66, and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.
What This Ruling Means
Henderson v. S & K Security Consultants, Inc.
What Happened
Katrina Henderson worked for S & K Security Consultants, Inc. and was not paid the overtime compensation she was legally owed. Under federal and Washington, D.C. laws, workers must receive extra pay when working more than 40 hours per week.
What the Court Decided
The court ruled in Henderson's favor after the company failed to respond to the lawsuit. The judge awarded her $26,539.55 in unpaid wages she should have received. Additionally, the court ordered the company to pay $79,618.66 in liquidated damages (a penalty meant to deter wage theft) plus her attorney's fees and legal costs. The total judgment was $106,158.21.
Why This Matters
This case demonstrates that workers have legal protections against wage theft—when employers fail to pay earned wages. Even if a company ignores a lawsuit, courts will still rule against them. The significant penalty awarded goes beyond just repaying lost wages, sending a message that employers who steal wages face serious financial consequences.
This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.
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This ruling information is sourced from public court records via CourtListener.com. Case outcomes, claim types, and summaries are extracted using AI analysis and may be incomplete or inaccurate. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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