Sec'y Labor v. Timberline S., LLC

# Timberline South, LLC Court Ruling Summary **What Happened** The Department of Labor sued Timberline South, LLC, claiming the company violated federal wage laws by not properly paying workers for overtime hours. The company argued it wasn't large enough to be covered by these federal wage protections. **What the Court Decided** The appeals court agreed that Timberline South was big enough to be covered by federal wage laws. However, the court found a significant problem with how damages were calculated. The lower court had incorrectly included time workers spent commuting and eating meals in the overtime payment calculation. The court sent the case back for recalculation using only actual work time. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling clarifies that even mid-sized companies must follow federal overtime rules. However, it also shows courts will carefully examine *how* companies calculate overtime pay. Workers should ensure employers only count actual hours worked—not travel time or breaks—when calculating overtime compensation. Mistakes in calculating overtime can result in workers receiving incorrect payments.