Parker Drilling Management Services, Ltd. v. Newton

The case asked whether California wage-and-hour rules applied to workers on offshore drilling platforms on the Outer Continental Shelf. On June 10, 2019, the Court said state law can be used there only to fill a gap in federal law, not just because the state rule relates to the dispute.

The case was argued on April 16, 2019, and decided on June 10, 2019, but the vote count and opinion lineup are not provided here.

This affects pay and work-rule disputes for offshore workers and drilling companies operating beyond state coastlines. For example, a worker on an offshore platform cannot automatically rely on California wage rules if federal law already covers the issue.

The Supreme Court has finished this docket action. The parties and lower courts must now apply the Court's rule to any remaining wage-and-hour issues in this case.

The dispute was over when state law can apply on offshore drilling platforms under OCSLA (a federal offshore law). The Court said state law fills gaps; it does not apply automatically.

Offshore workers and drilling companies are most affected. The decision matters in pay, overtime, and break disputes on platforms off the coast.

The Supreme Court's work in this case is done. Lower courts and the parties must use this rule in any further proceedings.