WICHITA, Kan. – A federal judge granted class action status to a lawsuit against National Beef, according to the Associated Press.

US District Judge Kathryn Vratil certified the class for the purposes of notifying workers who might want to join the lawsuit filed last May. Valente Sandoval Barbosa and Carolina Gaytan filed the suit on behalf of roughly 2,000 employees at the company's Liberal, Kan. facility.

The lawsuit claims employees were systematically underpaid for time spent removing protective gear; walking to and from production lines; and waiting to clean equipment and for cleaning equipment, among other things.

The plaintiffs are seeking unpaid wages and overtime from National Beef Packing.