Apple Employee Bag Search Dispute Heads to State Court
By Jon Steingart
Does California law require Apple Inc. to pay retail store employees for the time they spend waiting for anti-theft security screenings at the end of their shifts? A federal appeals court asked the state Supreme Court to answer the question (Frlekin v. Apple, Inc., 2017 BL 286498, 9th Cir., No. 15-17382, order certifying question to California Supreme Court 8/16/17).
“The Ninth Circuit is seeking clarity from the California Supreme Court about a legal issue that has not been squarely addressed by California courts that have considered compensation for claims for bag checks,” Lee Shalov, an attorney for the workers, told Bloomberg BNA Aug. 16. “We think that the tenor of the court’s analysis suggests that in the court’s view, the plaintiffs have valid claims for relief.” Shalov is with McLaughlin and Stern in New York.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Aug. 16.