Many people who work overtime hours do so just to make ends meet; others to get ahead. But sometimes those who make that extraordinary effort are not paid for their work. A lawsuit recently filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey alleges that the chain restaurant, Chipotle, failed to pay overtime to employees as required under the overtime rule issued by the Labor Department last year.
Established under the Obama administration, the overtime rule effectively made more employees eligible for overtime pay. Under the rule, employers are required to pay overtime to any employee with an annual salary up to and below $47,476 – an increase from the previous $23,660 threshold. Shortly after the rule went into effect, a Texas court put the rule’s enforcement on hold, keeping the Labor Department from enforcing the rule. The lawsuit claims that Chipotle should still be required to pay overtime since the Texas injunction does not apply to private employers.
The lead plaintiff in the overtime lawsuit, an apprentice at the time, was training to become a general manager within the chain. Her $43,082 annual salary put her earnings over the original threshold.
If you have experienced a wage and hour dispute with your employer, please call the Philadelphia overtime lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. at 215-569-1999, or contact us online for a free consultation. We will work tirelessly to protect your overtime and any other workplace rights.
