Janitors that worked for ABM Industries, a facility management company, are finally seeing a massive payout to resolve claims that they were owed significant wages. The company boasts its expansive reach worldwide employing more than 100,000 employees that provide janitorial, landscaping, electrical and lighting, and energy solutions, among other services, to properties of all sizes. This $140 million settlement will be distributed to 50,000 janitors that worked for ABM between 2002 and 2013.
The lawsuit specifically alleged that the company failed to properly keep accurate time records of the time janitorsspent working. The janitors claimed that ABM’s timekeeping system violated California state labor law by only paying workers for a predetermined hourly quota system. Janitors ended up getting paid for assumed hoursit would take to complete particular job assignments and not their actual time spent on those jobs. This time keeping issues caused affected employees to be significantly underpaid.
ABM is no stranger to alleged wage violations. In 2017, the company settled unpaid overtime claims for 7,000 security guards for $5 million. In 2020, they also resolved claims that they illicitly withdrew too much from employees’ paychecks to put into a benefits fund. Thesewage violations are unfortunately a commonplace in the maintenance and facility management industry. If you have experience working in similar job functions and have questions about your pay, call our firm, Fitapelli & Schaffer, LLP, for a free and confidential phone consultation at (212) 300-0375. You can also visit our website for additionalhelpful information regarding your rights.