A dispute over unpaid overtime wages has led to a lawsuit against a residential property rental company, raising questions about wage practices that could affect other workers in similar roles. The legal action alleges that the company failed to pay overtime as required by both federal and Michigan law, potentially impacting how employers classify and compensate their employees.
The complaint was filed by John Jeffrey Carrill in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan on April 9, 2026, naming SJG Rental Holdings LLC, formerly known as Redstone Properties LLC, as the defendant.
According to court documents, Carrill worked for SJG Rental Holdings from approximately March 17, 2019 to November 4, 2024. He was employed as a service technician responsible for maintenance across more than 20 properties in areas including Holland, Caledonia, Alpine, and Heritage Hill. The complaint outlines that Carrill’s duties included repairing leaking faucets, fixing light fixtures, addressing mold and drywall issues, maintaining fire alarms, and performing various other maintenance tasks.
Carrill alleges that although he was scheduled to work Monday through Sunday from 8:30 am to 5 p.m., he routinely worked through lunch breaks and beyond his scheduled hours to complete maintenance tasks or respond to emergencies. He claims he regularly worked approximately 60 hours per week but was instructed not to clock in after 5 p.m., despite being expected to continue working past that time.
The lawsuit states that Carrill was compensated on a salaried basis with annual pay increases of five percent and received allowances for his phone and vehicle along with occasional bonuses. However, he asserts that he was not paid at the required rate of one-and-one-half times his regular hourly rate for hours worked over forty per week. When Carrill raised concerns about overtime compensation with management, he says he was told he was classified as a salary-exempt employee and therefore not entitled to overtime pay.
The complaint accuses SJG Rental Holdings of violating both the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets federal minimum wage and overtime requirements under Title 29 of the United States Code Section 201 et seq., and Michigan’s Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act (IWOWA), codified at M.C.L. §408.931 et seq. Specifically, it is alleged that “Defendant knowingly and willfully disregarded the provisions of the FLSA as evidenced by their failure to compensate Plaintiff at the mandated minimum wage rate for all hours worked” and failed “to compensate Plaintiff at the statutory overtime rate of one and one-half times his regular rate for all hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours per week.” The filing further claims “Defendant actively misled Plaintiff into believing that he was not entitled to an overtime premium throughout his entire employment” and did not post legally required wage notices.
In addition to outlining Carrill’s work history with SJG Rental Holdings LLC (previously Redstone Properties LLC), the complaint describes corporate changes involving related entities HMJG Group LLC—alleging these were made in anticipation of litigation—and notes ongoing related litigation in Case No. 1:25-cv-00071 before the same court.
Carrill is seeking several forms of relief from the court: a declaration that his rights were violated; an award of unpaid overtime wages; liquidated damages equal to those unpaid wages; attorney’s fees; costs; and any other relief deemed just or equitable by the court. The filing requests adjudication under both federal law (FLSA) and state law (IWOWA).
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys Robert Anthony Alvarez (P66954) and Juan Antonio Salazar-Aguero (P86234) from Avanti Law Group PLLC. The case is identified as Case No. 1:26-cv-01165.
Source: 126cv01165_John_Jefferey_v_Sjg_Rental_Complaint_Western_District_of_Michigan.pdf
