Family Life

10.04.12 | Sarah Harnisch

Marcellus Shale gas drilling companies in Pennsylvania may not be paying their employees as well as they should be. Companies tapping the Shale regularly advertise good-paying jobs in the Keystone state, but three federal lawsuits and a state investigation suggest otherwise. The lawsuits claim two companies, one that provides security at well sites and one that offers fracking services, fail to pay employees overtime, and in some cases fail to pay for all the hours they work. State officials are investigating whether companies systemically misclassify employees to avoid paying overtime, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance.