About 230 current and former workers are suing Smithfield Foods Inc., contending they weren't paid for years for 30 to 45 minutes of daily overtime.

The lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk alleges violations of the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act at the company's Smithfield plant.

Workers say they were not paid for the 30 minutes it takes to don and remove protective gear and walk to and from the production line or for the extra 15 minutes they continue to handle pigs after their workday officially ends.

Justin Keating, a lawyer for the workers, said some might be owed more than $2,000 a year.

Smithfield spokesman Jerry Hostetter said the company had not yet received a copy of the suit.