A class action lawsuit claims that CINTAS, the large North American business services provider – is withholding wages and overtime from its hourly Fire Service Technicians in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and state employment laws.
The plaintiffs were employed as fire service technicians, whose jobs required them to install, service, inspect, repair, sell, and replace CINTAS fire sprinkler products and systems for CINTAS customers. According to the suit, the company regularly required them to work “off the clock,” failing to pay for necessary, job-related activities. These activities, which the fire service technicians performed before and after their daily shifts and customer assignments, include:
- Pre-trip vehicle inspections;
- The preparation of pre-trip vehicle inspection reports;
- Travel time to the first job site of the day;
- Travel time from the last job site of the day;
- Post-trip vehicle inspections; and
- The preparation of post-trip vehicle inspection reports.
More specifically, the plaintiffs claim that CINTAS failed to include drive time between their homes and customer locations at the beginning and end of their shifts, time that should have been included in weekly work hours and therefore eligible for wages and overtime. During this time, the fire service technicians were prohibited from using the company vehicle for personal use and were otherwise under the complete control of CINTAS.
The plaintiff class seeks damages for unpaid compensation, including overtime payable at one-and-one-half times their hourly rate, liquidated (or double) damages, payment for reasonable attorney fees, and other legal fees and costs incurred as a result of the litigation.
If you are or were employed as a CINTAS Fire Service Technician and believe that you were robbed out of your hard-earned pay, please contact the attorneys in Sommers Schwartz’s Employment Litigation Group today to learn how we can help.
