A California judge recently approved an unpaid wages class action settlement, to resolve the numerous minimum wage allegations against Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Sheraton Operating Co.

The unpaid wages class action settlement amounts to $850,000 to resolve the claims that the hotel chain had wrongfully withheld wages, for hundreds of bellhops and housekeepers at the W Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William F. Highberger approved the unpaid wages class action settlement, which is estimated to provide approximately $1,090 to the 440 class members and $283,333 in legal fees.

The unpaid wages class action settlement applies to all current and former hourly minimum wage employees who worked at the W Hotel in Hollywood from Feb. 14, 2010 to the date of the settlement’s approval.

The unpaid wages class action settlement covers three proposed minimum wage class action lawsuits filed in February 2014, by the employees of the W Hotel in Los Angeles. The employees alleged Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and other associated hotels had violated numerous minimum wage protocols.

Overview of Unpaid Wage Class Action Allegations

The bellhops and cleaning maids alleged they were routinely denied rest periods and meal breaks, as well as overtime benefits and compensation for occupational expenses.

In addition, these employees allege their gratuities and service charges were never properly distributed to them.

During the hearing, it was pointed out that the plaintiffs’ lawyers had requested a massive amount to settle the legal fees. Judge Highberger stated that he would “hash it down somehow to get it under the lid”, in order to make it work with the unpaid wages class action settlement.

The legal fees of the plaintiffs are significantly high due to the fact that there were five specialized law firms representing the plaintiffs.

The minimum wage class action lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs Joseph Sylvester and Anthony Wiktor on Feb. 14, 2014, who were employed as bellhops since the hotel’s opening in 2010.

Plaintiffs Earl Minor and Edna Martinez, who worked as housekeepers, filed their minimum wage lawsuits days later. As named plaintiffs in the unpaid wages class action settlement, each of them will receive an increased reward of $10,000 from the settlement.

According to Sylvester’s lawsuit, the hotels had regularly required employees to work over four hours without a rest break and over five hours without a meal break. Even when they did get meal breaks, the plaintiffs and other class embers were required to carry radios so they could respond to any requests or questions made by customers or managements.

If they were called, employees would have to immediately end their meal breaks to return to work. Hotel managers also required employees to work over eight hours a day or over 40 hours a week without overtime pay.

Furthermore, employees were also required to change into their uniforms before clocking in and out before changing at the end of the day.

The Starwood Hotels wage and hour class action lawsuits are: Joseph Sylvester et al. v. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Management Company et al., Case No. BC536399; Earl Minor v. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Management Company et al, Case No. BC536890; Edna Martinez v. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. et al, Case No. BC537737, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

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