Petco Wage and Hour Lawsuit Ends in Settlement

A group of pet groomers have reached a settlement in a Petco wage and hour lawsuit that claimed the pet supply retailer required them to buy their own work supplies and equipment.

The parties submitted a letter to the court in early December 2016, notifying the court that they had agreed to a settlement in principle.

Final terms of the settlement were not disclosed in the letter but should be forthcoming.

About the Petco Wage and Hour Lawsuit

In this Petco wage and hour lawsuit, the named plaintiffs proposed to represent a Class of current and former Petco employees who work for the company’s pet grooming services as grooming assistants and pet stylers.

They allege the company failed to provide them with supplies necessary to their job, forcing them to buy their own.

The plaintiffs claim Petco maintained a company-wide policy requiring these employees to buy all their own supplies.

They were expected to purchase their own brushes and combs, scissors, electric clippers and blades, nail clippers, and de-shedding tools, according to this Petco wage and hour lawsuit.

They also were allegedly required to pay for decorations like bows and ribbons. Plaintiffs alleged some employees ended up shelling out $1,000 to $3,000 for these work-related expenses.

Petco reportedly denies making these employees buy their own supplies. The retailer says it has a formal policy of providing employees with some of their necessary equipment.

The plaintiffs’ Petco wage and hour lawsuit also includes a claim for violation of minimum wage requirements, based on the effect of their work-related expenditures on their net pay.

Both groomers and stylists earned pay at or close to the minimum wage. Groomers were allegedly paid the higher of the federal or state minimum wage or a commission calculated as 40 percent of sales for full-service baths made during a pay period.

Pet stylists earned the higher of a $10 per hour wage or a 50 percent commission on full-service grooms.

Although these employees appeared to be making at least the applicable minimum wage, the plaintiffs argue that their net pay dropped below the minimum once they accounted for the cost of the supplies and equipment they were required to buy.

The net result was compensation low enough to violate the minimum wage requirements of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the plaintiffs claim.

The plaintiffs moved for certification of their proposed Class in September 2015. Members of the plaintiff Class include groomers and pet stylists from Petco stores in California, Connecticut, Kansas, New Jersey and New York.

The Petco Wage and Hour Lawsuit is Kristina Kucker, et al. v. Petco Animal Supplies Stores Inc., Case No. 1:14-cv-09983 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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