New Class Action Hits Apple Over Unpaid Security Checks

More Apple employees are coming forward claiming that they deserve payment for time spent in security checks, filing another class action against the computer giant.

The suit follows a similar case launched earlier this year that accused the company of failing to compensate hourly-paid staff members for time spent waiting for security and bag checks after they clocked out for meal breaks and at the end of shifts. According to the most recent complaint the employees have to wait for up to ten to fifteen minutes during peak hours; however, because security checks occur off-the-clock, these workers are not paid for this time – allegedly in violation of the FLSA.

Apple Inc. was first hit with a putative class action lawsuit in California back in July 2013 over the company’s security check policy.

The suit has been brought by Taylor Kalin, a full-time and non-exempt worker, under California law. The plaintiff accuses Apple of failing to pay workers for time spent waiting for security checks, while still requiring staff to submit to the checks every time they leave the store (the checks are designed to prevent workers from stealing often easily-concealed Apple devices.) At the heart of the complaint is the fact that such checks take place after workers clock-out, and that at often busy times (i.e. lunch breaks, ends of shifts) employees can be forced to wait in long lines – without receiving compensation for this time.

The proposed class membership includes nonexempt Apple specialists and nonexempt managers, as well as business managers, developmental managers, and senior managers. Kalin worked for Apple in a San Francisco store from September 2010 to November 2012 and now hopes to seek compensatory, liquidated and statutory damages.

Apple Inc. was first hit with a putative class action lawsuit in California back in July 2013 over the company’s security check policy. In that suit, plaintiffs alleged that roughly one hour of unpaid time per week was spent in security checks, equating to $1500 in back wages for a year’s worth of work. They are seeking compensation for time spent working as far back as 2007, alleging that the Fair Labor Standards Act and various state laws have been violated.