Staples Hit With ANOTHER Overtime Lawsuit ☹

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Staples Hit With ANOTHER Overtime Lawsuit ☹
January 20, 2025, San Francisco, CA – Staples is facing yet another unpaid overtime lawsuit, this time in a California federal court. The latest proposed class action, filed by former employee Maraya Lumadue, alleges that nonexempt workers were forced to work through meal and rest breaks without compensation, among other labor law violations. These alleged practices have accumulated significant unpaid time, echoing previous wage theft lawsuits the office supply giant has settled in the past.
By Tonernews.com

Lumadue’s complaint details multiple grievances, including:
Employees working off-the-clock for tasks like helping customers before clocking in, undergoing bag checks, and answering company inquiries. Off-the-clock tasks reportedly took up to 21 minutes daily.

Employees being required to work 10–15 minutes post-shift to complete tasks without pay.

Unrecorded and unpaid excess hours not reflected on wage statements.

Workers purchasing supplies out of pocket for job duties without reimbursement.

Lack of seats for employees, forcing them to stand unnecessarily for extended periods.

Failure to reimburse workers for uniform maintenance and personal cell phone usage for work purposes.

Employees waiting in line for time clocks without pay.

The case, Maraya Lumadue v. Staples the Office Superstore LLC, case number 2:25-cv-00028, is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

History of Staples Wage Violations
This lawsuit is not the first of its kind for Staples. Similar cases have been filed, including one last year by employees Alissa Torres, Teri Weiser, and Kristofer Giordani. Staples moved those lawsuits to federal court, claiming they were “boilerplate” and sought dismissal. Like Lumadue’s case, these suits involved allegations of meal and rest break violations and unpaid work hours.

Staples has also faced accusations of wage theft via employee misclassification. For instance:

In 2015, delivery drivers filed a class action alleging they were not compensated for overtime during mandatory wait times for truck loading.

In 2020, Staples settled a $42 million lawsuit involving assistant store managers misclassified as exempt from overtime. This case included claims dating back to 2002 and affected over 5,500 employees.

In 2007, Staples paid $38 million to settle a lawsuit for misclassifying assistant managers. Another similar case in 2010 resulted in a $24 million settlement. Despite the payouts, Staples admitted no wrongdoing

A Pattern of Noncompliance
Staples’ repeated labor violations raise questions about its adherence to California’s strict labor laws. From unpaid overtime to misclassifications, the company has incurred significant financial penalties over the years. While Staples has settled numerous cases, its continued legal troubles suggest an ongoing pattern of noncompliance. The question remains: When will Staples learn that violating labor laws doesn’t pay?

[Author]

January 20, 2025 at 4:10 PM