Detroit Tigers Class Action Lawsuit: Team Accused of Unpaid Overtime

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims the Detroit Tigers failed to properly pay overtime wages to employees, violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Consumers Affected: Employees of the Detroit Tigers who were not paid proper overtime wages.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

The Detroit Tigers are under legal fire as a former employee accuses the team of violating federal labor laws by failing to pay workers the overtime wages they’re owed. 

The lawsuit claims the Tigers did not properly account for shift premiums and bonuses in overtime pay calculations, shortchanging employees and flouting the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Detroit Tigers Accused of Failing to Pay Proper Overtime Wages

Derron Jones, who worked at Comerica Park as a shipping and receiving employee from 2017 to 2024, filed the proposed class action lawsuit against the baseball giant. With an hourly base rate of $15.91, Jones also received shift premiums and bonuses as part of his pay. These additional earnings, the lawsuit alleges, should have been factored into his regular hourly rate to determine proper overtime compensation.

Jones regularly worked more than 40 hours per week, earning some overtime pay. However, the lawsuit claims the team failed to include non-discretionary bonuses and shift premiums in calculating his "regular rate of pay," as required by the FLSA. For example, Jones’s paycheck from one pay period in 2024 showed he worked over 81 hours but did not receive the correct overtime rate.

Lawsuit Alleges Tigers Violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

The FLSA mandates that employers calculate overtime pay as 1.5 times an employee’s "regular rate of pay," which includes not only base wages but also bonuses and other forms of compensation. By excluding these additional earnings from the calculation, the Tigers allegedly shortchanged their hourly employees, including Jones, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also accuses the team of failing to allocate non-discretionary bonuses across multiple workweeks as required by federal regulations. This oversight, the complaint argues, further deprived employees of the full compensation they were entitled to.

Other Companies Face Similar Lawsuits Over Wage and Hour Violations

The Tigers aren’t the only employer in hot water for alleged wage violations. PNC Bank is facing a similar lawsuit in New Jersey, where a former mortgage loan officer claims the bank failed to pay overtime wages despite requiring employees to work grueling hours. The lawsuit seeks damages for unpaid wages and overtime.

Other companies, including Subway and Citibank, have also been hit with legal action for alleged underpayment and improper overtime practices. These lawsuits highlight ongoing concerns about employers skirting labor laws and undercutting workers.

In the Detroit Tigers case, Jones wants to represent anyone else employed by the company in the last three years. He is suing for violations of the FLSA and seeking unpaid wages, liquidated damages, interest, attorney’s fees, and costs.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Jones v. Detroit Tigers, Inc.
• Case Number: 2:25-cv-10136-BRM-APP 
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan 

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Kevin J. Stoops (Sommers Schwartz, P.C.)
• Jonathan Melmed and Laura Supanich (Melmed Law Group, P.C.)

Are you a current or former Detroit Tigers employee? Share your thoughts on this lawsuit in the comments below.