Class Action Claims FedEx Warehouse Workers Owed Unpaid Wages Due to Security Screenings

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A proposed class action alleges FedEx Ground Package System, Inc. has violated several provisions of California’s labor law by subjecting employees to mandatory security screenings. According to the case, non-exempt employees who worked in the defendant’s California warehouses are owed unpaid minimum and overtime wages, as well as compensation for interrupted breaks, due to FedEx’s security screening policy.

The lawsuit alleges that warehouse workers in at least FedEx’s Oakland, Emeryville, and City of Industry locations were required to wait in line for and pass through security screenings before and after each shift and before and after leaving the premises during breaks. As the time clock was inside the warehouse, employees were not paid for time spent waiting in line to pass through security or walking between the time clock and the screening location, the case alleges. The plaintiff claims workers are owed unpaid minimum wages, and in many cases time-and-a-half overtime wages, for their unrecorded work time.

Moreover, the suit alleges that FedEx’s security checks also cut into employees’ statutory meal and rest breaks. According to the lawsuit, since workers were required to pass through security screenings in order to leave the premises during breaks, they were deprived of full, uninterrupted 30-minute meal breaks and 10-minute rest breaks and are thusly owed one hour of pay for each day in which the defendants failed to provide legally compliant breaks.

The lawsuit further alleges that FedEx’s security screening policy violated several additional provisions of California labor law, including the obligation for employers to provide accurate pay stubs and pay employees all wages owed upon termination or resignation.

Originally filed in California’s superior court, the lawsuit has been removed to the state’s northern district court.