Alleged employee rights violations bring claim against Taco Bell

Taco Bell employees in California may be aware of the collective action lawsuit that was filed against the company that owns various franchised brands, one of which is Taco Bell. The initial filing was done in another state in 2016. Over 500 former and current employees claim violations of employee rights.

According to court documents, it is alleged that the hours of workers at 75 outlets of Taco Bell were capped at 40 hours per week, regardless of the number of overtime hours they worked. Workers claim that the employers took different steps to avoid paying wages at a time-and-a-half rate for extra hours. Some assert that they were ordered to clock out after a shift but required to continue working unclocked hours.

In other cases, employees allege the franchisors moved all their overtime hours into the next week and recorded them as normal hours to avoid paying overtime. Federal employment law entitles any worker to receive overtime at a rate of time-and-a-half the normal rate. The holding company commented that workers should have reported these discrepancies to its human resource department immediately.

It is speculated that this case will likely only come to trial next year. However, California workers who find themselves in similar situations are entitled to seek compensation. There are laws that govern the way in which employers must handle overtime hours, and employees have the right to stand up for themselves. A logical step might be to consult with an attorney who is experienced in fighting for workers whose employee rights were violated.

Source:twincitytelegraph.com, “Michigan Taco Bell workers sue for unpaid overtime”, Jan. 29, 2018