The fast-food chain Jimmy John’s has been sued by two former employees for “systematic wage theft,” according to The Huffington Post.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court by Emily Brunner and Karolis Kubelskas. The pair claim that they were forced to work while off the clock due to low payroll budgets sent to individual stores. This led to overtime and minimum wage violations.
According to the lawsuit, Jimmy John’s “intentionally and repeatedly misrepresented the true time worked by their hourly employees” so it could keep its costs low and skirt overtime laws. The two plaintiffs argued that the pay practices were sent from “corporate set policies” and also applied to other employees.
The company has not issued a comment on the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs said that employees of the store are not provided enough time to finish all of the duties assigned to them at closing each night. This is when managers tell the employees to clock-out of work even if they have to continue working. They also said that this practice is worsened because managers’ bonuses are based on the fact if they hit the targets set forth by the company on labor costs.
They claim that the system “has the practical effect of creating widespread wage theft.”
Brunner filed a lawsuit back in July, but refiled in a joint complaint just last week. JS Fort Group, a franchisee, is named as a defendant with Jimmy John’s Enterprises.