Workers at a Wisconsin meat processing plant must be paid for time spent donning and doffing protective clothing, such as hair nets, hard hats, shoe covers, frocks, and safety glasses, an appeals court ruled Thursday. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by six workers at the Tyson Prepared Foods plant in Jefferson County. The Tyson plant pimarily produces pepperoni for pizza toppings.
The Jefferson County Circuit Court had said Tyson did not have to pay workers for that time because putting on and taking off the gear was not essential to their duties. The 4th District Court of Appeals disagreed, saying it counted as “preparatory and concluding” activities that were an integral part of their jobs. The Appeals Court sent the case back to the circuit court to determine how much the workers should be paid.
Tyson spokesman Worth Sparkman said that the company was disappointed in the appeals court decision and was evaluating its options for further defense of the case.
