DALLAS (AP) — The U.S. Labor Department has announced that it's recovering more than $1 million in overtime back wages from poultry processor Pilgrim's Pride Corp.
In a statement issued Friday, the department said the back wages are owed to 798 former and current workers at the Pittsburg, Texas-based company's Dallas processing plant.
In a consent decree filed in U.S. District Court in El Dorado, Ark., Pilgrim's Pride also agrees to pay for time spent by workers donning and removing work-related gear in all of its U.S. processing plants.
The Labor Department had accused Pilgrim's Pride violated federal law by not paying workers for all hours worked, including time spent putting on and removing protective clothing. Under the consent decree, however, Pilgrim's Pride admits to no wrongdoing.
Shares of Pilgrim's Pride rose 10 cents to close at $8.87.
