Retailer H&M Agrees to Pay Employees $3,800,000 for Failure to Pay for Time Spent During Security Checks -- Lead Plaintiff Seeks $15,000

Massachusetts law requires employers to compensate employees for all time they are required to be on the premises. 454 CMR § 27.02. This means that retailers violate the Massachusetts Wage Act when they do not pay their employees for time spent, off the clock, undergoing bag security searches before leaving work.

Yesterday, retailer H&M agreed to pay $3,800,000 to settle claims brought by employees who were not compensated for undergoing mandatory security checks. Plaintiffs’ counsel has asked that the plaintiff receive an incentive payment of $15,000 for acting as class representative.

This settlement follows closely on the heels of similar developments with regard to REI (read about that here) and Apple (read about that here).

Steffans Legal is currently interviewing employees who spend time in security checks without compensation. If you have questions or would like to learn more, contact us today for a free consultation.