Several lawsuits were filed this week in California, Michigan and New York against McDonald's by employees who allege the company has committed wage theft violations.
According to the Chicago Tribune, seven class-action lawsuits filed Wednesday and Thursday are accusing McDonald's of failing to pay overtime and forcing employees to work off the clock. Others claim that they were forced to pay for their own uniforms and did not receive reimbursement for uniform cleaning. Some were not given timely breaks and others were not paid until customers came into the store.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said they are demanding the return of "stolen wages." The lawsuits, which were filed in state and federal courts, names only 27 plaintiffs, according to the Huffington Post, however the suit could involve thousands of McDonald's employees, both past and current.
Joe Sellers, an attorney representing workers in California, said that in the past "McDonald's has tried to shield itself from liability from these unlawful employment practices committed at its franchise restaurants," but now it is time for the chain to accept responsibility for its actions.
"They were requiring employees to perform work that was simply never paid," Sellers said. "Our clients are among the most economically vulnerable in our society, and they work for a company that generated more than $28 billion in revenue last year and earned more than $5 billion in profits."
In a statement, McDonald's spokesperson, Heidi Barker Sa Shekhem, said the company was reviewing the allegations:
"McDonald's and our independent owner-operators share a concern and commitment to the well-being and fair treatment of all people who work in McDonald's restaurants. We are currently reviewing the allegations in the lawsuits. McDonald's and our independent franchisees are committed to undertaking a comprehensive investigation of the allegations and will take any necessary actions as they apply to our respective organizations."
Jason Hughes, one of the McDonald's workers named in the suits, said that he was not allowed to take breaks. He was reportedly also asked by management to clock out during slow periods during the day, but to remain near the premises in order to clock back in when the store got busy.
"When I took a job at McDonald's I knew I wouldn't make a lot of money, but I thought a well-known company like McDonald's would treat me fairly and at least follow the law," Hughes said. "We brought this lawsuit because they haven't done either."
McDonald's Corp. is named in all the suits, but some of the lawsuits were leveled at area franchises. If the allegations are true, it would be violating the Federal Labor Standards Act. According to the Department of Labor, the act "establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments."
Last week, McDonald's cited growing public concern over low wages as one of the possible risks that may impact the fast food chain's future. In the 2014 Service Employees International Union, the fast food chain stated that the public focus on low wages could "intensify" over the coming months and could reportedly "hurt the fast-food giant's profit margins."
Last year, McDonald's CEO Don Thompson claimed that the company has always been "an above minimum wage employer." Fast food workers make about $8.90 an hour, which is nearly two dollars more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Lawmakers and labor organizers have also been pushing to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.
