Apple Store Employees Forced to Have Unpaid Security Checks

A group of Apple Store employees involved in a class action lawsuit have won the first major battle against the corporation in their efforts to recover unpaid wages. Employees are currently required to undergo unpaid security searches before every lunch break and at the end of every shift. Apple lost their motion for summary judgment against the plaintiffs. The case is now expected to proceed towards trial, unless a settlement is reached.

The problem with the security checks is that hourly employees are obligated to spend time doing a task for their employer for which they are not paid. Each security check may require employees to wait as long as fifteen minutes each time they clock out. Both federal and New York laws obligate employers to pay for any work-related activities performed. Class action lawsuit attorneys in New York have been holding employers like Apple accountable for committing wage theft in subtle ways like this since employee rights laws were first enacted. This wage theft class action lawsuit is expected to add up to millions of dollars for the plaintiffs.

Although there is never any certainty when a case goes to trial, most New York wage theft attorneys agree that this case seems like a clear violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. These searches are mandatory and take time from the employees. Although the abuses seem minor, the damages quickly add up over the course of a few months.

Apple is likely to lose this case and have to pay out some significant damages to the employees at their stores. It has been a clearly established part of labor law for decades that any job-related mandatory task by an employer must be paid for by the employer.

At Hepworth, Gershbaum & Roth, PLLC, our NYC wage theft attorneys have the skill and determination it takes to win class action lawsuits. Schedule a free initial consultation with us if you have concerns about being a victim of wage theft. Call us at 212-545-1199 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.