Starbucks Settles Worker Suit as 1,000s Seek Overtime Pay
An undisclosed settlement between Starbucks Corp. and 350 assistant managers who claim they were required to work unpaid overtime was approved yesterday by a federal judge in Houston.
But the Seattle-based international coffee chain, which has a reputation of paying workers generous benefits, is still facing other federal suits by thousands of workers who say they were forced to work off the clock, too, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Among them are an overtime-pay case brought in California by 2,500 assistant managers who are now seeking class action status, and one in Florida in which 900 store managers say they did much the same work as baristas and hence are entitled to overtime pay.
As discussed in earlier ABAJournal.com posts, off-the-clock cases are an employment litigation hot spot right now, along with claims by independent contractors who say they actually were employees.
Additional coverage:
CCH Business & Corporate Compliance: “Class of store assistant managers found to be similarly situated”
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: “Starbucks settles suit over overtime pay”
