Red Eye, a Chicago news weekly, reports that yet another fast food submarine sandwich chain franchise has been accused of cheating its workers out of the wages to which they are entitled. This time, the center of the allegations is a Jimmy John’s franchise.
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Jimmy John’s Sandwich Franchise Accused of Participating in Wage Theft
According to Red Eye, two Brookfield residents filed a legal complaint against Jimmy John’s, accusing the company of making employees work off the clock for no pay. Unfortunately, many low-wage and minimum-wage employees will understand exactly what these Brookfield residents are talking about.
A former delivery worker from the Hillside, Illinois Jimmy John’s and a current employee of the Downers Grove location are claiming that workers at the fast food restaurant are being forced to continue working at night, even after their managers have clocked them out. In other words, they are claiming that they work their typical low-wage shift, and afterwards, they are required to work more hours without being paid, with the implied threat of losing their jobs if they speak up.
The Brookfield residents filed their lawsuit at the end of last week. In the suit, they are asking that all Jimmy John’s employees who have been hurt in a similar fashion be compensated. They claim that Jimmy John’s has a policy of having management engage in these despicable practices, and that there has been widespread abuse in the Jimmy John’s system of the minimum wage requirements of state and federal law.
Subway and Other Fast Food Chains Accused of Similar Wage Theft
This, of course, comes on the tail of accusations within the last month that Jimmy John’s rival, Subway, has been engaged in similar wage theft practices in at least one franchise. Seattle workers are also claiming to have been robbed by their fast-food managers. A Taco Bell worker claims to have been forced to work after her manager clocked her out for the evening. Her extended shifts could last anywhere from fifteen minutes to three hours.
Many current or former fast-food workers may not be all that surprised about any of this. The Chicago Tribune reports that almost 90 percent of fast-food workers in the Chicago area allege wage theft. The wage theft includes employers requiring employees to work off the clock or employers denying employees breaks during long shifts. Over 45 percent of respondents to the survey claimed that they were not paid for all of the hours they had worked or the tasks they had performed at their jobs. These interviews were conducted in the Chicago area this spring.
It is sad to hear that employers choose to take certain measures in order to deprive their employees of hard-earned wages. Those employees, though, should speak to an attorney immediately to understand their legal options and how to recover due compensation.
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I don’t like to be in situations they make me very uncomfortable