Trouble is brewing for a key player in North Carolina’s aviation industry as a new lawsuit targets alleged wage theft.
Georgia-based Complete Aviation Services and Modification—known as CASM—is facing a proposed class-action suit for its pay practices in the state. While headquartered in Atlanta, CASM is a major provider of technical staff for North Carolina’s growing aviation hubs, including its specialized maintenance work for commercial airlines.
The lawsuit, filed by a former avionics mechanic, alleges the company used a "ploy" to avoid paying overtime. The suit claims CASM labeled most of its workers' hourly pay as untaxed "per diem," allowing them to pay just "straight time" instead of time-and-a-half for extra hours.
If the court certifies the class, it could include more than 100 mechanics and technicians across the region who may be owed years of back pay.
