Overtime Case Filed Against Frito-Lay, Inc. for Unpaid Pre-Shift Work

Our employment lawyers have filed an unpaid overtime lawsuit against Frito-Lay, a national food manufacturer that specializes in producing chips and other snack foods. The case alleges that Frito-Lay has failed to fully and properly pay its hourly production and manufacturing employees for all overtime hours worked.

What Are the Claims in the Frito-Lay Overtime Lawsuit?

The lawsuit alleges that hourly production and manufacturing employees at Frito-Lay are required to arrive before the official start of their scheduled shifts to complete mandatory sanitation-related tasks. These duties include putting on personal protective equipment (PPE), using lint rollers on their uniforms, washing their hands, and preparing for their shift responsibilities in accordance with federal food safety regulations.

The unpaid wages lawsuit alleges that these tasks are an integral and indispensable part of employees’ job duties and therefore must be compensated under federal and state wage laws. However, the employer allegedly does not pay employees for the time spent performing these pre-shift duties. Instead, employees’ pay does not begin until their scheduled shift start time, despite them already performing job-related activities. As a result, because Frito-Lay allegedly fails to pay its hourly production/manufacturing employees for pre-shift work, these employees may not be paid for all time worked (including overtime).

What Could I Receive from the Overtime Lawsuit?

If the lawsuit is successful, affected Frito-Lay employees could recover unpaid overtime wages going back as far as three years. In addition to unpaid wages, the Fair Labor Standards Act allows for “liquidated damages,” which means employees could receive double the amount of unpaid overtime owed to them. If you have questions about whether you qualify to join the lawsuit against Frito-Lay or your rights concerning your wages, please contact our office to speak with an experienced employment attorney.