Sprint Off-the-Clock Work Lawsuit Ends in $7.6M Deal for Retail Workers

A $7.6 million settlement agreement has been proposed to resolve a case filed by several retail workers against telecommunications company Sprint alleging that it may have violated the Fair Labor Standards Act in addition to other worker protection laws.

About the Sprint Off-The-Clock Work Lawsuit

Sprint committed wage and hour violations against him and other individuals employed at the company’s retailers stores, according to the California labor law violation lawsuit filed by named plaintiff Vladimir A. in February 2019, Vladimir claims that he was required to perform many of his duties off-the-clock and was not compensated for this time.

The off-the-clock work alleged by Vladimir and other plaintiffs includes unlocking Sprint stores and disengaging alarm systems prior to the start of their shifts, logging into the company’s computers and timekeeping systems, and submitting expense reports or other job-related paperwork.

Additionally, the workers claim that they were required to attend mandatory conference calls, take phone calls from managers, employees, and customers, and communicate with managers and other employees via text messaging during times when they were not on the clock.

In addition to this alleged off-the-clock work, the plaintiffs also cite instances where they were required to work through their meal or rest breaks.

The proposed settlement would settle the Sprint off-the-clock work lawsuit while not requiring Sprint to admit any wrongdoing. While approximately 33% of the $7.6 million settlement is expected to be paid to the plaintiffs’ legal representation, the rest of the sum will be distributed to the more than 4,700 workers included in the class.

A group of the class members urged the judge presiding over the case to approve the settlement in early January 2021, believing the deal to be the best-case scenario for resolving the lawsuit.

What Rights Do Workers Have Under Wage and Hour Laws?

According to the Fair Labor Standards Act and other worker protection laws, employees are afforded several rights and privileges. Worker protection laws require employers to pay employees at least the federal or state minimum wage. Although the minimum wage varies by state, the federal minimum is set at $7.25. Employees are entitled to compensation for each hour they work.

Additionally, workers who work in excess of 40 hours a week are entitled to a higher rate of pay for their additional hours. Federal and California labor laws dictate, even if the overtime worked has not been approved by their employer, that employees are still owed their time-and-a-half wages for these hours.

Employees are also granted meal and rest breaks, depending on the number of hours they work in a shift. Workers who work at least eight hours in a shift are generally required to receive two short rest breaks in addition to a longer meal break, while workers who work shorter or longer shifts may receive a different number of breaks. Workers must be free from the direction and control of their employer during their breaks, and workers who are required to skip their breaks or work through them may be entitled to compensation for this time.

To note, California labor laws are often more beneficial for employees than federal laws, and new laws are going into effect this year.

If your employer has committed wage or hour violations by denying you meal or rest breaks, failing to properly calculate or pay overtime, or failing to compensate you for all hours worked, you may be eligible to speak with an experienced attorney about your legal rights. Some victims of wage and hour violations may be able to join or file a class action lawsuit and pursue compensation and reimbursement for these violations.

Vladimir’s Sprint Off-The-Clock Work Lawsuit is Case No: 3:19-cv-00411-WQH-AHG, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.