Our maritime injury law firm is dedicated to helping seamen nationwide get fair compensation for the arduous work they perform. Recently, our attorneys filed a claim concerning several workers employed by Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc., a commercial shipping corporation operating off the New York coast. According to our clients, the company’s payroll administrator notified them that Bouchard would not be paying wages for any work performed in February 2020 on any vessel in its fleet.
We are asking crew members who have recently served aboard any vessels owned by Bouchard Transportation to come forward for a case evaluation. If you are still waiting on wage payments for work performed on a Bouchard tug or barge, please call 1-800-3-MAY-DAY or complete our online contact form today.
Threats and Pressure Follow Bouchard’s Failure to Pay Workers
As experienced maritime lawyers, we know how devoted sailors are to their ships and their fellow crew members. The company’s edict placed our clients in impossible positions, 
forcing the tough choice to continue working without pay or refusing to report for duty. Some of our clients have said that they were threatened with discipline or the loss of their Coast Guard licenses if they left their vessels unattended.
Regular wage payments are vital for keeping sailors and their families in good health, and nonpayment can cause complications that go far beyond inconvenience. The attorneys at Hofmann & Schweitzer stand ready to assist any employee who worked on a Bouchard tug or barge on or after January 1, 2020. After we assess your case, we can determine how much you may be owed for:
- Past wages and interest. While the amount of wages owed to our current plaintiffs varies, each has lost several thousand dollars since the company suspended payment.
- Loss of benefits. In addition to withheld wages, seamen have been denied any contributions they would have made to fringe benefit programs, including retirement accounts and future investment opportunities.
- Attorney and court fees. Under federal maritime law, courts have the discretion to award attorneys’ fees under certain circumstances.
- Punitive damages. Courts may demand that companies pay punitive damages to plaintiffs who have been the victims of illegal or devious business practices.
Let Our Experienced Maritime Attorneys Get You What You Deserve
Maritime employers who fail to make accurate and adequate daily wage payments can be held liable for violations of employment contracts, The Shipping Act, the Federal Labor and Standards Act (FLSA), and general maritime law. Depending on the number of claims filed, Bouchard could pay millions of dollars or face liens against its vessels for nonpayment of employee wages.
As New-York based attorneys, we are uniquely qualified to assist seamen in this case due to our:
- Class action litigation. With 25 tugboats and 25 petroleum barges in its fleet, there may be up to 200 employees eligible to file claims against Bouchard Transportation, making it likely that the claim will be consolidated into a class action.
- Worldwide access. As seamen are entitled to protection under federal maritime laws, our law firm can assist clients whether they live in New York or any other state in the U.S.
- Tenacious representation. Our law firm has been serving maritime injury victims individually and in class actions for over 40 years. We do not hesitate to take on large corporations and will fight aggressively all the way to trial to get our clients the compensation they are owed.
We are honored to provide legal representation to some of the most hardworking members of the workforce, doing whatever we can to ensure they are fairly compensated for their losses. If you were not paid for your labor while working on a Bouchard Transportation vessel, simply fill out the quick online contact form on this page. If you have a question or are not sure if you qualify, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-3-MAY-DAY today to speak with a maritime injury lawyer at Hofmann & Schweitzer.
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