Ex-Henderson jail officers file overtime lawsuit against city

Former Henderson Detention Center officers who say they were forced to work overtime without pay have filed a class-action lawsuit against the city.

The suit lists Kelly Woodburn and Thomas Woodburn, who are married, and at least 100 others as plaintiffs. It alleges that the officers were not compensated for “pre-shift” and “post-shift” duties, including uniform changes, head counts and meetings to “de-brief” fellow officers.

“The Woodburns allege the City of Henderson has employed dozens, if not hundreds, of corrections officers during the operative years and that the City of Henderson has not properly paid these corrections officers overtime wages and other wages owed for hours worked,” the lawsuit states.

Henderson spokeswoman Kathleen Richards did not respond to a reporter’s message Friday seeking comment on the lawsuit.

Attorneys Joseph Mott and Scott Lundy filed the complaint on Wednesday in Clark County District Court.

According to the document, the unpaid assignments also included checking firearms in and out of a gun locker, as well as picking up and dropping off detention center keys and vehicles.

The officers were required to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the start of each shift and stay at the detention center an additional 20 to 45 minutes at the end of each shift, according to the lawsuit. They were required to change into and out of their uniforms at the jail.

According to the suit, the officers were reprimanded if they did not complete the tasks before and after their shifts.

Kelly Woodburn worked for the detention center from November 2007 to July 2017, while her husband worked from September 2011 to July 2018, the lawsuit states. Kelly Woodburn said in the suit that she is owed more than $12,000 per year, and Thomas Woodburn said he is owed more than $7,500 per year.

“Without complete pay and time records we can’t put an exact number on the damages,” Mott and Lundy wrote in an email Friday.

Thomas Woodburn received more than $120,000 in pay and benefits during his final year as a detention center officer, and Kelly Woodburn received nearly $84,000 during her final year as an officer, according to TransparentNevada.com. Both have since retired.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.