WASHINGTON D.C. — The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear warehouse employees’ overtime lawsuit against Amazon for unpaid time spent in security screening lines. As a result, the other class action overtime pay claims currently against Amazon for the same practice are on hold, or have been stayed, with the exception of one Amazon claim in Pennsylvania. In an attempt to keep all of the pending class action wage claims on hold, and after a request from a group of California plaintiffs for a partial lifting of the stay for their case, Amazon recently told a Kentucky federal judge that the Supreme Court’s ruling will have a significant effect on the pending cases.
The California Request
The employees of SMX LLC, a staffing company which provides Amazon with warehouse employees in California, brought their lawsuit against SMX and Amazon, claiming the companies violated both the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and California state labor laws. When the federal judge agreed to lift the stay on the Pennsylvania case it opened the door for others to make similar requests. And in June, the California employees asked the Kentucky federal judge, who is assigned to the multidistrict litigation (MDL) to oversee all of the Amazon security screening cases, to partially lift the stay on their case so that they can go forward with discovery on their state law-related claim.
Because their lawsuit claims violation of two separate laws, the court must review and address each claim individually. In many cases, the courts will address all claims individually, but will try to do so in one trial. However, certain issues can or must be addressed separately. This means that technically the employees’ California state claim can go forward while the courts wait for the Supreme Court’s decision on the federal claim, if the judge approves the request.
Amazon’s Response
Amazon not only argues that the Pennsylvania and California cases are different; it also claims that the Supreme Court’s decision could influence or affect state claims. Since the case before the Supreme Court deals specifically with FLSA requirements, in theory, any decision the Court makes will not affect a state claim. This is why the Pennsylvania case, which only has state claims, was allowed to go forward. But, Amazon claims the California employees are using essentially the same allegations, facts, and likely the same evidence, for both of their claims; allowing them to go forward with one claim could mean wasted or duplicated efforts, depending on the Supreme Court’s decision.
Amazon is not the only employer requiring security screenings to prevent theft or requesting stays on related cases. But, despite the Supreme Court’s pending decision in the Amazon case, if your employer requires unpaid, off-the-clock security screenings, you may still have a claim under state law. Contact our top-rated team of overtime pay lawyers today at (855) 754-2795 or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review form and our knowledgeable legal team will evaluate your case. If we accept your case, we will represent you under our No Fee Promise.