PITTSBURGH — A former manager for Chester Heights, Pennsylvania-based Wawa, Inc. recently filed a proposed class action unpaid overtime lawsuit against the convenience store claiming he and potentially hundreds of other employers were not paid all their due wages during their training periods. The lawsuit accuses the popular East Coast chain of forcing managers in training to work at least 10 hours per day, five days per week on a flat salary without any additional compensation for overtime.
According to the class action unpaid overtime lawsuit, the plaintiff joined Wawa as a manager in training in March of 2015 when he and allegedly others at various locations throughout the state of New Jersey were not failry compensated for time on the job. From the plaintiff’s hiring until his resignation in December 2015, the plaintiff claims he worked well over 40 hours per week performing duties such as running registers, stocking shelves, and many other types of work performed by non-overtime exempt hourly wage-earning employees.
The plaintiff’s lawsuit alleges his duties were inconsistent with those expected of overtime exempt workers under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), particularly as it pertains to managers. Those duties include hiring and firing workers, disciplining subordinates, setting pay rates and schedules, and other actions vital to day to day operations of the business.
This is the second such lawsuit filed against Wawa over allegations managerial employees were improperly classified as overtime exempt workers when in fact they performed essentially the same duties as hourly wage earners eligible for overtime. In January 2017, a group of former assistant-managers filed a class action unpaid overtime lawsuit against Wawa seeking their own compensation for unpaid overtime and other damages.
Unfortunately, such cases are not isolated incidents as unscrupulous businesses often ignore federal and state wage and labor laws to suppress worker pay in order to keep business expenses down. In these situations, wage theft victims are entitled to back pay with interest, liquidated damages equal to back pay, attorneys fees, and other damages the court may seem fit to award.
Store Manager Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit
Call us at (855) 754-2795 or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review form on the top right of this page if you believe 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.