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Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 

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United Statu Coun of Appoala UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS TM1H, ~: •~;::. 

KENNETH CUTLER, 

Plaintiff-Appellee, 

v. 

FRANK MESSINA, 

Defendant-Appellant. 

TENTH CIRCUIT 

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ORDER AND JUDGMENT* 

DEC 2 0 1990 

ROBERT L. HOECKER 

Clerk 

No. 90-5004 

(D.C. No. 86-C-788-C) 

( N. D. Okla. ) 

Before LOGAN, SEYMOUR, and TACHA, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 

34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore ordered 

submitted without oral argument. 

Defendant-appellant Frank Messina appeals a district court 

judgment for past wages due plaintiff Kenneth Cutler for violation 

of 29 u.s.c. S 206(a)(l), the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 

(Act). On appeal, Messina argues the district erred in concluding 

Cutler was not paid adequately under the Act. We affirm. 

Messina employed Cutler as a guard to oversee a storage 

building containing oilfield equipment from October 22, 1984, to 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall 

not be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, 

except for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of 

the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppal. 10th Cir. R. 

36.3. 

Appellate Case: 90-5004 Document: 010110097286 Date Filed: 12/20/1990 Page: 1 
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November 7, 1985, for gross wages of $3,075.76. From November 11, 

1985, to February 24, 1986, Messina employed Cutler as a field 

helper for gross wages of $1,190.40. Messina admitted at trial he 

paid Cutler $200 a month during this period based on a forty-hour 

work week. Cutler also testified at trial that he worked for 

Messina an average of seven to eight hours per day. The district 

court awarded Cutler damages of $5,104.84 for past wages pursuant 

to the minimum wage requirement of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

Messina contends the district court erred in concluding he 

must pay employees minimum wage regardless of evidence Cutler has 

agreed to perform the jobs for $200 a month. We disagree. The 

Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 u.s.c. S 206(a)(l), provides: "Every 

employer shall pay to each of his employees .•. not less than 

$3.35 an hour." It is settled law that employers and employees 

subject to the Act may not contract for employment for less than 

the minimum wage. See,~, Wirz ~ Leonard, 317 F.2d 768, 769 

(5th Cir. 1963). We agree with the district court's conclusion 

the Act required Messina to pay Cutler at least $3.35 per hour. 

Messina also contends Cutler should not be paid full time for 

guarding a warehouse full of junk. We have no trial transcript 

before us to consider and thus we are unable to review the 

district court's factual findings. We therefore must accept them 

as true. See Rachbach y Cogswell, 547 F.2d 502, 504 (10th Cir. 

1976). We accept the district court's conclusion that Cutler 

worked an average of forty hours a week. We AFFIRM. The mandate 

shall issue forthwith. 

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ENTERED FOR THE COURT 

Oeanell Reece Tacha 

Circuit Judge 

Appellate Case: 90-5004 Document: 010110097286 Date Filed: 12/20/1990 Page: 2