Wage and hour class actions are nothing new in Connecticut. Over the last few years, some employers, particularly in the restaurant field, have been blindsided by the sheer number of them. Some — to be sure — have merit to them.
But we’ve also seen class action lawsuits that attempt to push the envelope.
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The Connecticut Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision that will be officially released April 4, 2017, has ruled that employers may not use the “tip credit” for pizza delivery drivers and therefore, the employees must be paid the standard minimum wage.
You can download the decision in Amaral Brothers, Inc. v. Department of Labor here.
A limo driver believes that he should be paid overtime. He brings a lawsuit on both state and federal wage & hour laws. But he believes that other similarly situated drivers should also be part of his lawsuit.
How does that happen? Well, he asks the court to represent all the other drivers as well.