July - September 2019
Aramark Sports & Entertainment Services LLC dba Aramark Washington State Convention & Trade Center ("Aramark"), a large company that provides food, facilities, and uniform services, settled allegations of retaliation under the Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) ordinance. The total financial remedy was $3,970.13 to the aggrieved worker.
Enjoy Your Life Inc dba Cuff Complex ("the Cuff"), a nightclub and bar in Capitol Hill, settled allegations under the PSST and Minimum Wage ordinances. OLS alleged that the Cuff was not paying minimum wage in some instances for non-tipped positions and was rounding PSST accrual down to the hour. The total financial remedy was $2,105.33 to 43 aggrieved parties.
OLS issued a determination of a violation against N I Painting & Construction Company, a construction company with 20-50 employees that contracts with the City of Seattle and works on public and private projects throughout the city, for retaliation under the Wage Theft ordinance. OLS found that the company had retaliated against a worker when the worker complained about not receiving overtime pay. The total financial remedy was $8,170.05, which included $7,788.95 to the worker and $381.10 to the City of Seattle.
Seattle Trees Collective LLC dba Trees Collective, a small company that operates a pot shop in the Greenwood neighborhood, settled allegations under the Wage Theft and PSST ordinances. OLS alleged, among other things, that for some months after the company purchased the store, the company was using tips to cover till shortages and buy bonus incentives for high-performing employees. Mandatory monthly staff meetings were not paid, and workers were not provided notifications of their PSST balances. Two employees who spoke out against the new practices were allegedly fired or constructively discharged. The total financial remedy was $42,430.16, which includes $33,369 to 26 affected workers and $9,061 to the City of Seattle.
Sony Sewing, an industrial sewing manufacturer with one location in Seattle that employs approximately 50-100 employees, settled allegations under the Wage Theft and PSST ordinances. The investigation revealed that employees were issued paychecks on scheduled pay days but asked to wait to cash them, and that commissioned employees were paid 1.5 times the minimum wage for overtime hours instead of overtime based on actual earnings. The investigation also revealed that commissioned employees were paid for sick and safe time at the minimum wage rate, rather than rates based on actual earnings. Under the settlement agreement, both employer and employee training will take place. OLS Community Outreach and Education Fund partner Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC) will conduct the training for employees. The total financial remedy was $14,889.25, which included $14,759.25 to 84 affected employees and $130 to the City of Seattle.
Lang Towing, a towing company with one location in Seattle and ten employees, settled allegations under the PSST ordinance. OLS alleged that Lang Towing was not providing drivers with PSST and misclassified at least one office employee as overtime-exempt instead of hourly, resulting in some instances of payment of less than minimum wage and failure to pay overtime pay. The total financial remedy was $17,935.17 to 24 aggrieved workers.
Wallingford Child Care Center, a small childcare center, settled allegations under the PSST ordinance for not allowing two employees to use PSST in two instances: in one instance, the company failed to allow an employee to use paid time to care for a grandparent, and in another instance, the company failed to allow an employee to use paid time because no shift coverage was available. The total financial remedy was $151.99 to the two affected workers. Both the employer and employees will undergo training on Seattle labor standards.
Troy 333, Inc. dba Taco Bell/Kentucky Fried Chicken, a fast food franchise with approximately 45 employees and one location in Seattle, settled allegations under the PSST ordinance. OLS alleged that the company was not complying with PSST until 2018. The total financial remedy was $18,363.89 to 69 affected employees. Quality Food Centers, a large grocery store, settled allegations under the Fair Chance Employment ordinance related to a job applicant at its University Village location. OLS alleged that the company failed to identify to the applicant the criminal history record on which it relied and failed to provide the applicant an opportunity to respond to the background check results. The total financial remedy was $515 to the applicant.
CVS Pharmacy, a large drugstore with thousands of employees worldwide and over five locations in Seattle, settled allegations under the PSST and Secure Scheduling ordinances. Specifically, OLS alleged that CVS failed to provide sufficient PSST accrual during the first 90 days of employment, and to provide employees with pay for shifts worked less than ten hours apart (aka "clopening pay") and pay for work schedule changes. The total financial remedy was $12,116.42 to 32 affected employees.
HH Seattle LLC dba Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown, 6th and Denny LLC dba Hyatt Place Seattle, and HP Hotel LLC ("Hyatt House and Hyatt Place"), which operate two Hyatt franchise locations in Seattle, settled allegations under the Minimum Wage and Wage Theft ordinances. OLS alleged that Hyatt House and Hyatt Place, which employ a combined total of about 150 employees in Seattle, did not always pay the higher minimum wage rate, despite being part of a franchise network with more than 501 or more employees worldwide. The total financial remedy was $182,352.73 to 234 affected employees.