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A former employee of Chipotle Mexican Grill filed a class-action lawsuit in St. Paul, Minnesota last week, alleging workers were illegally forced to work off the clock and without pay. According to the Star-Tribune, the plaintiff alleges the chain "routinely" requires employees to attend trainings and meetings "off the clock," often totaling as many as 10 to 15 hours of unpaid work per week. The suit also alleges store managers are subject to a system of "reward and punishment" based on payroll goals set by corporate managers.
The lawsuit joins a similar case against Chipotle still pending in Missouri, and complaints about the chain's workplace practices have been emerging steadily of late: In September, employees at a Pennsylvania location famously walked off the job, claiming they were "forced to work in borderline sweatshop conditions." Recently, wage dispute lawsuits against fast-food chains have been garnering plaintiffs major victories: Chains from Domino's Pizza to McDonald's have settled class-action suits alleging wage theft, unpaid overtime, and other violations.
