McDonald's was hit today by seven class action lawsuits for unpaid wages and overtime filed by McDonald's workers in California, Michigan and New York. All the suits claim that McDonald's struck time off workers' time cards, forced them to work off the clock and refused to pay them overtime. The suits were filed under the Fair Labor Standards Act and seek to recover unpaid wages, overtime as well as attorney's fees and costs.
CNN Money reports on the cases, McDonald's Workers Sue for Wage Theft, as does Slate's Moneybox: McDonald's Workers Are Suing, and The Battle Is Going To Be Fascinating.
These cases all involve typical unpaid wage and overtime violations such as working off the clock, having hours struck off a time card and just a straight out refusal to pay overtime. Interestingly, the suits are filed against McDonald's, the corporation, rather than just the McDonald's franchisees in these states.
One thing that may be misunderstood about cases under the Fair Labor Standards Act is that the law includes what is known as a "fee-shifting"provision, which means that a worker who succeeds in her claim for unpaid wages or overtime can also have the employer pay his or her attorney's fees as well. That means all the money the person has earned can be recovered and their attorney can also get paid fully for helping them.
Lexington, Kentucky wages and overtime lawyer Robert Abell represents individuals and employees seeking to recover the wages and overtime they've earned but not been paid; contact him at 859-254-7076.
