The U.S. Supreme Court decided that both verbal and written complaints by an employee about violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) are considered protected conduct under the anti-retaliation provisions of the law. These complaints typically relate to an employee not getting paid overtime or not getting paid anything for hours worked. The decision is Kasten v. Saint-Gobain Plastics Corporation, March 22, 2011.
The decision was based on the following language from the FLSA, Sec. 215(a)(3):
[An employer may not] discharge or in any other manner discriminate against any employee because such employee has filed any complaint or instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under or related to [the Act], or has testified or is about to testify in such proceeding, or has served or is about to serve on an industry committee.
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