Griffin v. Oceanic Contractors, Inc. case brief

Griffin v. Oceanic Contractors, Inc. case brief summary
458 U.S. 564, 102 S Ct. 3245, 73 L.ED.2d 973 (1982)

CASE SYNOPSIS: Petitioner seaman appealed a decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which affirmed the district court's decision to assess a penalty only for the period during which petitioner was unemployed in petitioner's action against respondent former employer to recover penalty wages under 46 U.S.C.S. § 596 for respondent's failure to pay over earned wages due upon discharge.

CASE FACTS: Petitioner seaman brought an action against respondent former employer seeking penalty wages under 46 U.S.C.S. § 596 for respondent's failure to pay over the earned wages due upon petitioner's discharge. The district court found for petitioner but limited the penalty assessed to the period during which petitioner was unemployed. Petitioner appealed the award of damages as inadequate. The appellate court affirmed.

DISCUSSION

• The Court granted certiorari to resolve a conflict among the circuits regarding the proper application of the wage penalty statute. 
• The Court held that § 596 which required respondent to pay petitioner promptly after his discharge and authorized petitioner to recover double wages for each day that payment was delayed without sufficient cause did not give the district court discretion to limit the period during which the wage penalty was assessed, and that the imposition of the penalty was mandatory for each day that the payment was withheld in violation of the statute. 
• The judgment was reversed.

CONCLUSION: The Court reversed the judgment limiting the wage penalty assessed in petitioner seaman's action against respondent former employer to the period during which petitioner was unemployed, holding that district courts did not have the discretion to limit the period during which the wage penalty was assessed, and that the imposition of the penalty was mandatory for each day that payment was withheld in violation of the statute.