October – December 2025
2025 – Quarter 4 Case Summaries
OLS investigated Amazon Logistics, Inc. (dba Amazon Flex) for alleged violations of the Gig Worker Premium Pay, Gig Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST), and App-Based Worker PSST Ordinances. Amazon Flex is a network company that contracts with workers to deliver items for Amazon business lines. Amazon Flex has thousands of Seattle workers and hundreds of thousands of workers worldwide. Under the Gig Worker Premium Pay Ordinance, OLS alleged that Amazon Flex failed to provide premium pay to gig workers for deliveries with a pick-up and/or drop-off in Seattle that were not for food/grocery business lines. Under the Gig Worker PSST and App-Based Worker PSST Ordinances, OLS alleged that Amazon Flex failed to establish an accessible system for gig workers to request and use PSST and failed to provide correct monthly PSST notification to workers who performed work for its business lines that were not food/grocery business lines. Amazon Flex settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total of $3,777,924.10, consisting of settlement payments and PSST credits, to 10,968 affected workers and $20,000 in fines to the City of Seattle. This was OLS’ second largest settlement in its history!
OLS investigated Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon) for alleged violations of the affirmative data production requirements of the App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance. Amazon is a network company that contracts with workers to deliver items for Amazon business lines. OLS alleged that Amazon violated the Ordinance’s data reporting requirements, SMC 8.38.070.G and SHRR 240-160, by failing to produce the required data on three separate occasions between December 2, 2024 and April 30, 2025. To resolve the matter, Amazon agreed to provide OLS with the required data and to pay a total of $44,871.75 in fines to the City of Seattle.
OLS alleged that Amazon Logistics, Inc. (dba Amazon Flex) failed to provide a deactivated worker the process required by the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance. To informally resolve the complaint, Amazon Flex agreed to restart the worker’s deactivation process to ensure the worker received a process that complies with the Ordinance and to pay the worker a total of $1,245.70, which includes $622.85 in civil penalties and $622.85 in fines.
Amazon Logistics, Inc. (dba Amazon Flex), a network company that contracts with workers to deliver items for Amazon's business lines, agreed to an informal resolution under the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights (ABWDR) Ordinance. OLS alleged that Amazon Flex failed to provide a deactivated worker notice of the specific incident that violated the companies polices and did not provide the evidence the company considered, as required by the Ordinance. To resolve the complaint, Amazon Flex agreed to restart the worker’s deactivation process to ensure that they received a process that complies with the Ordinance and to pay the worker a total of $1,245.70, which includes $622.85 in civil penalties and $622.85 in fines.
OLS investigated Ba Mien Seafood Market, LLC (Ba Mien Seafood Market) for alleged violations of the Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) and the Wage Theft Ordinances. Ba Mien Seafood Market has one Seattle location and approximately 50 employees. OLS alleged that the business failed to provide PSST to its employees, provide employees with a written notice of rights and employer’s policy, provide notification of paid sick and safe time balance, and provide employees with written notice of employment information. Ba Mien Seafood Market settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $74,581.92 to 98 employees and $1,383.74 to the City of Seattle.
OLS investigated BlueCrew, LLC for alleged violations of the Fair Chance Employment (FCE) Ordinance. The employer is an on-demand staffing agency that lists and provides various job opportunities for individuals that could be performed within the City of Seattle. OLS alleged the employer failed to provide an applicant a reasonable opportunity to explain or correct background check information that the company relied on in its adverse employment decision. OLS also alleged the employer failed to hold positions open for a minimum of two business days for eight applicants after notifying the applicants that it would be making an adverse employment decision. OLS further alleged the employer retaliated against an applicant when the employer failed to respond when the applicant alerted the employer to their rights under the ordinance and then denied them the opportunity to apply for or view job positions within Seattle area due to their background check information. The company settled the allegations, agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $11,763.74 to eight aggrieved parties and fines to the City of Seattle, agreed to develop and implement a written FCE policy, and ensure its local management would attend training on the FCE Ordinance.
OLS initiated a Notice of Complaint procedure involving Clubgrade LLC dba ClubZ! Tutoring, an in-home and online tutoring company, pursuant to section 14.34.165 of the Independent Contractor Protections Ordinance. Allegations included failure to provide a written notice that gave specified itemized payment information each time a payment was made, failure to make timely payment in accordance with the terms and conditions of a pre-work written notice or contract, and failure to compensate a worker for work performed. Clubgrade LLC reached an informal resolution to the Notice of Complaint and agreed to pay $425.62 for work performed and a $600 civil penalty remitted to the affected worker.
OLS alleged that DoorDash failed to provide a deactivated worker the notice, records, and process required by the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance. To informally resolve the complaint, DoorDash agreed to restart the worker’s deactivation process to ensure the worker received a process that complies with the Ordinance and to pay the worker a total of $1,245.70, which includes $622.85 in civil penalties and $622.85 in fines.
OLS alleged that DoorDash failed to provide a deactivated worker the notice, records, and process required by the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance. To informally resolve the complaint, DoorDash agreed to reinstate the worker on the platform and to pay the worker a total of $1,245.70, which includes $622.85 in civil penalties and $622.85 in fines.
OLS alleged that DoorDash failed to provide a deactivated worker the notice, records, and process required by the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance. To informally resolve the complaint, DoorDash agreed to reinstate the worker on the platform and to pay the worker a total of $1,245.70, which includes $622.85 in civil penalties and $622.85 in fines.
OLS alleged that Gopuff failed to provide a deactivated worker with a notice of the effective date of deactivation, notice of the company’s process for challenging the deactivation, and notice of the records or evidence the company relied upon as required by the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance. To informally resolve the complaint, Gopuff agreed to reactivate the worker and pay the worker $1,245.70, which includes $622.85 in civil penalties and $622.85 in fines.
OLS alleged that Grubhub Holdings, Inc. failed to provide a deactivated worker with the process required by the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance. To informally resolve the complaint, Grubhub agreed to restart the worker’s deactivation process to ensure the worker received a process that complies with the Ordinance and to pay the worker a total of $1,245.70, which includes $622.85 in civil penalties and $622.85 in fines.
OLS investigated Ross Dress for Less Inc. dba Ross Dress for Less #0352 (Ross) for alleged violations of the Secure Scheduling Ordinance. The retail clothing company has more than 107,000 employees worldwide and operates 5 Seattle locations. OLS’ investigation covered one location in Downtown Seattle between January 27, 2022 and December 17, 2025. Under the Secure Scheduling Ordinance, OLS alleged Ross failed to provide employees with a written notice of rights, provide employees with notice of schedule changes, and pay employees premium pay for employer-initiated schedule changes. The company settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $194,415.47 to 281 employees and $2,075.61 to the City of Seattle.
OLS investigated a Seattle household employer for alleged violations of the Wage Theft Ordinance. OLS alleged that the employer failed to pay all compensation owed according to their employment contract when they terminated an employee without paying the full severance. Under the Wage Theft Ordinance, employers must pay "all compensation owed by way of employment" and this includes compensation promised by the terms of an employment contract. OLS also investigated allegations that the employer retaliated against the employee by withholding the promised pay after she asserted her right to the full amount of severance per the employment contract. The household employer agreed to settle the matter and to fully comply with the ordinance in the event they employ a Seattle-based employee in the future. Additionally, the employer agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $5,316.00 in back wages, interest, and civil penalties to the worker, including a civil penalty for retaliation.