APOPKA, FL — Employees for the city of Apopka, Florida recently filed an unpaid overtime lawsuit over claims that their supervisors forced them to work through lunch breaks without additional pay, a violation of federal and state labor and wage laws. The plaintiffs, who worked at various departments for the city, claim that the illegal wage practices went on for a three-year period prior to filing the lawsuit and that they should be compensated with overtime pay and damages for all their lost wages during this period.
According to the unpaid overtime lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the city made automatic deductions to worker paychecks for 30-minute lunch breaks the plaintiff’s claim they routinely worked through. As a result, the five named plaintiffs lost wages, including overtime pay, and are due three years of back pay and damages, the most allowed under federal labor laws.
The plaintiffs further claim their supervisors knew that they were working through lunch breaks but were still left unpaid for all these hours, amounting to a willful violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which governs national minimum wage and overtime pay laws. The lawsuit could not come at a worse time for the city as local media reports indicate that the city has had to borrow money to compensate for budget shortfalls projected next year.
Reports also suggest the city has already extended a settlement offer to the plaintiffs to resolve the unpaid overtime lawsuit, compensating each worker for the amount of time he or she spent working through lunch breaks. The payouts could range anywhere from $2,000 to over $14,000 in unpaid wages and liquidated damages allowed under the law.
The FLSA requires employers to keep accurate payroll records detailing all of their workers hours spent on the job and their wages earned. The FLSA also gives wage theft victims the right to file unpaid overtime lawsuits against their employers and recover back pay with interest, damages, and attorneys fees to cover the cost of litigation.
City Worker Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit
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.