A Michigan corporation is facing a collective action lawsuit for allegedly failing to pay its employees proper overtime wages. On January 27, 2026, Tina Blaylock filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan against Blarney Castle Oil Company. The lawsuit claims that the company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by not including certain types of remuneration in the calculation of overtime pay.
The plaintiff, Tina Blaylock, who worked as an hourly employee and assistant manager at Blarney Castle Oil Company from August 2024 to December 2025, accuses her former employer of failing to properly calculate overtime wages by excluding premium pay and other non-discretionary remuneration from the regular rate of pay. According to Blaylock’s allegations, this oversight led to violations of federal labor laws, specifically under the FLSA which mandates that employees receive overtime compensation at a rate not less than one and a half times their regular rate for hours worked beyond forty in a workweek.
Blaylock’s case highlights systemic issues within Blarney Castle Oil Company’s payroll practices. She asserts that despite receiving shift premium pay and other forms of non-discretionary compensation, these were not factored into her regular hourly rate when calculating overtime. This miscalculation resulted in underpayment for her overtime hours. The complaint cites specific examples, such as a pay stub from August 2025 showing that while she worked over 42 hours in one week and received some premium payments, these were not included in determining her rightful overtime wage.
The legal filing further alleges that this practice was widespread across the company’s operations due to its centralized payroll system affecting all similarly situated employees. Blaylock seeks court authorization for a collective action on behalf of all current and former hourly employees who worked for Blarney Castle Oil Company within the past three years. The relief sought includes unpaid wages, liquidated damages equal to backpay owed, interest, attorney’s fees, costs associated with bringing forth this action, and any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The attorneys representing Tina Blaylock are from Sommers Schwartz P.C., with Jesse L. Young listed as counsel for the plaintiff and proposed collective members. The case is being heard in front of an unnamed judge under Case ID 1:26-cv-00288.
Source: 126cv288_Tina_Blaylock_v_Blarney_Castle_Complaint_Western_District_of_Michigan.pdf
