Lawsuits for Warehouse Workers: Were You Paid for Security Check Time?
Last Updated on April 7, 2026
At A Glance
- This Alert Affects:
- Anyone who works or worked in a warehouse packaging goods for shipment in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada or New Jersey and was not paid for time spent in security screenings.
- What’s Going On?
- Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether lawsuits can be filed on behalf of warehouse workers who weren’t paid for time spent in security checks. They believe some states' laws may require that this time be paid.
- Which States Might Require Pay for Security Checks?
- Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada and New Jersey.
- What You Can Do
- If you worked in a warehouse in one of the above states and had to go through security checks without pay, fill out the form on this page to learn more about the investigation and what you can do.
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether lawsuits can be filed on behalf of current and former warehouse workers who were not paid for time spent in security checks.
They’re looking into whether certain companies are violating state wage laws regarding pre- and post-shift security screenings and are interested in speaking to workers in the following states:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Nevada
- New Jersey
If you worked in a warehouse packaging goods for shipment in any of these states and were not paid for time spent going through security checks, you may be owed money from your employer.
To learn more about what you can do, fill out the form on this page, and an attorney or legal representative may reach out to you directly. It doesn’t cost anything to get in touch or to speak with someone about your options.
Should I Be Paid for Security Checks?
The short answer is that it depends.
While federal law does not guarantee that workers must be paid for all post- and pre-shift work, several states have enacted laws that provide protection above and beyond what’s available under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Specifically, attorneys working with ClassAction.org believe that the states listed above may have laws requiring that hourly workers be paid for work-related tasks carried out before and after their shifts—including security screenings—regardless of whether they are “clocked in.”
How Could a Class Action Lawsuit Help?
A class action lawsuit could help workers recover money they should have been paid—but weren’t—for time spent in security checks. Furthermore, if a worker’s security check time pushes their total weekly hours beyond 40, they could also be owed money for unpaid time-and-a-half overtime wages.
For instance, in May 2020, workers in Amazon’s California warehouses reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the online retailer to resolve a lawsuit alleging they were illegally deprived of pay for time spent in security screenings. More than $7 million was made available to workers covered by the lawsuit. However, every case is different, and results cannot be guaranteed.
A successful security screening lawsuit could also require a company to change the way it pays its employees to ensure the business is complying with both federal and state law.
Can I Be Fired for Speaking Up?
Both federal and state laws provide protection for employees who speak up about unfair or illegal wage practices. Specifically, it is illegal for your employer to fire, demote or otherwise retaliate against you just because you exercised your legal rights.
If you worked in a warehouse in one of the states mentioned above and weren’t paid for time spent in security screenings, fill out the form on this page to help the investigation.
It costs nothing to get in touch, and you’re not obligated to take legal action just because you spoke to someone about your rights.
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