Apple retail employees file class-action lawsuit over security
A group of former retail employees of Apple Stores in Los Angeles and New York have filed a class-action suit against Apple, saying that the company demands employees submit to extensive anti-theft searches and other security measures, but doesn't pay them for the time involved. The security checks, which happen whenever an employee leaves the store, take 10 or 15 minutes according to the claim filed, adding up to millions of dollars in uncompensated employee time -- possibly as much as $1,400 per employee per year.
The suit itself notes that the searches are "integral" and "indispensible" to Apple's security and loss-control goals, but have an issue with not being compensated for the time required for the checks, which are deducted from "uncompensated meal breaks." The lawsuit requests estimated unpaid wages as well as unpaid overtime, along with having a court declare uncompensated security checks illegal.
