Amazon.com Inc., a U.S. conglomerate technology company based in Seattle, Washington has agreed to pay $11.132 million to settle claims it underpaid an estimated 200,000 of its California non-exempt, hourly paid, warehouse workers when they forced them to stand in security lines before and after work or breaks for security searches.
According to court filings, plaintiff Khadijah Robertson alleged Amazon subjected its employees to forced security searches on its premises after they had already clocked out for meals or the end of their shifts. Roberton said these searches amounted to at least 20-30 minutes or more of unpaid compensable work each day and interruptions in employee meal and rest periods. Plaintiff further argued that these searches could have been performed on-the-clock before their lunch or before ending their shifts.
Robertson claimed these practices violated the California Labor Code and orders of the state’s Industrial Wage Orders. The settlement comes two months after a similar California Supreme Court case ruled that Apple workers were owed pay for the time they spent in security lines.
If you suspect you’ve been wronged in a Wage & Hour Class Action, call the employment Law Offices of Garry M. Tetalman today at (805) 879-7518. Our offices are ready to discuss your issues confidentially.