$3M Production Line Employee Settlement
PARRIS attorneys obtained a $3 million class action settlement on behalf of production line employees for a company that processes, packages, and ships salads.
The production line employees wore personal protective equipment and were instructed to put on this protective gear seven minutes before the start of their scheduled shift, but they were not paid for that time.
Most employees were unable to don the protective gear in that short amount of time. It actually took them around 15 minutes before their shift started to go to their lockers, gather their tools, protective gear, and smocks, and clean and sanitize it all before putting it on. Likewise, the employees were not paid for the time they spent after clocking out – removing, cleaning, and sanitizing their protective gear before going home for the day.
Additionally, the production line employees were threatened with discipline if they exited the plant, went to their car, or ever drove off-campus during their meal breaks. They were unable to take a complete and uninterrupted 30-minute meal period during their shifts and were not paid premium payments for missed or shortened meal periods.
Other notable PARRIS class action settlements on behalf of hourly-paid workers include a $29.5 million class action settlement against a major home improvement company and a $7.8 million settlement against a chicken processing plant.
Read more about employment law and class actions.