SAN DIEGO — An unpaid wage lawsuit against Apple’s retail stores recently got underway in a San Diego Superior Court, almost five years after workers initially filed their suit accusing the technology giant of systematically denying due wages and providing meal breaks. What began as a few brave plaintiffs bringing suit became a certified class action lawsuit in 2014 with as many as 18,500 potential claimants to share in any award.
The plaintiffs’ lawsuit claims Apple’s retail stores violated numerous California wage and labor laws, particularly those that apply to breaks and providing employees with accurate wage statements about hours worked and pay earned. The lawsuit seeks to recover back wages with interest and penalties under California wage laws.
Under the state’s wage and labor laws, employers must give workers an uninterrupted 30-minute meal break after five hours of work or a 10-minute break after four hours. The plaintiffs in this case claim Apple failed to provide the meal breaks for four years prior to the suit’s filing.
Furthermore, the unpaid wages lawsuit claims the defendant failed to fully compensate the plaintiffs for all the hours worked on their final paychecks. While the suit does not list a specific dollar amount of compensation, the possible award could be substantial given the sheer number of potential plaintiffs the class could include.
California’s labor and wage laws allow plaintiffs to recover reasonable attorney’s fees to pay for the cost of litigation to ensure aggrieved parties do not incur more economic harm. Often times, the amount of attorney’s fees are determined by the courts overseeing the case.
Workers believing their employer is not paying them proper hourly wages, overtime, providing meal breaks, or keeping accurate records should strongly consider speaking to an experienced unpaid overtime wage attorney about their case. While many employees assume their employers know and comply with the law, the truth is too many employers intentionally engage in wage theft to keep payroll down and skirt overtime payments.
California Overtime Pay Lawsuits
Call (855) 754-2795 or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review form on the top right of this page if you feel that your wage rights are being violated under the FLSA. Our top-rated team of unpaid wage lawyers will evaluate your situation to determine your best course of action to help you seek justice.
Our office will also determine if it is in your best interest to file a lawsuit against your employer. Because strict time limitations apply for filing these types of claims, we advise you contact our experienced unpaid overtime wage attorneys at your earliest convenience and preserve your legal rights.