Over the past few weeks, more than 140 retail store employees (and counting) have lodged demands with the American Arbitration Association against Prime Communications for unpaid overtime. These employees (which include store managers, assistant store managers, and sales representatives) allege that they worked off-the-clock overtime hours without pay, and with the company’s knowledge. They seek to recover unpaid overtime compensation, double damages, and other available relief under wage and hour law.
Michele R. Fisher, a partner at Nichols Kaster, PLLP who represents the employees, stated, “we have been learning of allegations from workers around the country that Prime Communications encouraged unpaid overtime work by instructing employees to continue working but not record time beyond scheduled hours, not paying for meal breaks not taken, and requiring off-the-clock work for meetings, conference calls, and responding to GroupMe messages. These workers should be paid for this time.” Michael Palitz, a partner with Shavitz Law Group, P.A. who also represents the store employees explained, “some companies make employees sign arbitration agreements that extinguish their right to sue in court if the employer treats them illegally and require them to bring a claim in arbitration instead. We intend to hold Prime Communications responsible by bringing these claims for these workers in arbitration.”
The employees are represented by Michael Palitz and Gregg Shavitz of Shavitz Law Group, P.A. and Michele Fisher and Kayla Kienzle of Nichols Kaster, PLLP.
The firms representing the workers are still accepting new claims for Prime Communications retail store employees from anywhere in the country who worked unpaid overtime hours in the past three years. For additional information about how to make a claim, visit www.primeunpaidovertime.com or https://primeovertime.com.