McLaughlin and Stern Files Class Action Lawsuit Against American Airlines, Inc.
New York, NY — A class action lawsuit has been filed against American Airlines, Inc. (“American Airlines”), in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, on behalf of hourly paid non-exempt employees who handle baggage and perform other duties before departures and after arrivals (“Employees”). The Complaint alleges that American Airlines’ policies violate the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) and New Jersey labor law by allowing Employees to trade shifts and work in excess of 40 hours a week by taking others’ shifts, but the company only compensates Employees at their standard hourly rate when they accept shift trades, regardless of however many hours they may have worked beyond 40 in a single week.
The Complaint also alleges that American Airlines has a policy and practice of unlawfully offering some Employees “comp time” or paid time off in lieu of the payment of overtime — payable at time and one-half — when they work more than 40 hours a week. The Plaintiffs allege that managers and supervisors encourage and require Employees to take “comp time” instead of overtime pay.
Additionally, the suit claims that American Airlines configures Employee time clocks to round down and artificially reduce the amount of time Employees are credited with performing work, as well as requesting that Employees perform work prior to the start times of their shifts, after their shifts end and during uncompensated meal breaks. Plaintiffs allege that even if an Employee punches in before his or her shift is supposed to begin, the company does not begin to compensate him or her until the scheduled start time, all which result in Employees working without proper compensation.
If you work or have worked at American Airlines and think that you have been affected by any of the aforementioned improper wage practices, you may request to be included in the proposed class. Please contact Brett Gallaway, Esq. at McLaughlin & Stern, LLP at 646-738-6353 for any questions you have about the action.