Construction company, Anning-Johnson Co., has just been accused of failing to properly pay its workers leaving them significantly underpaid. The class action lawsuit has alleged thatthe Delaware based construction company, specializing in roofing, fireproofing and wall and ceiling assistance, did not pay its laborers for time spent undergoing coronavirus screenings. According to the lawsuit, the claims of owed wages amount to a whopping $25 million.
The lawsuit, which was filed late last week, highlights allegations made by hourly non-exempt employees that claimthey went unpaid for off-the-clock time amongst other violations. Specifically, the construction company requiredhourly employees to show up up to 30 minutes before their scheduled shift time to undergo COVID-19 screenings. Thesehabitual off-the-clock blocks of time ultimately weren’t calculated into their regular hourly rate of pay nor their overtime rate at time-and-a-half their regular hourly rate when working over 40 hours per week. Additional violations included not having their incentive or bonus pay calculated into their regular hour rate for purposes of correctly calculating overtime pay.
Ensuring the workplace is a clean and safe environment for all is extremely important. However, if this requirement takes placeon your time while on company property, especially before or after you clock-in or out, your time may be compensable. This global pandemic is certainly new territory for most employers but it is important to remember that you do have rights as an employee. If you have any questions about your pay or want to inquire if you should be paid for time spent undergoing coronavirus screenings at work, do not hesitate to call us a for a free and confidential consultation. Our firm, Fitapelli & Schaffer, LLP, can be reached at (212) 300-0375 or you can find additional helpful information regarding your workplace rights on our website.