Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN: A federal judge has ruled that class action filed against Domino's Pizza, by two former employees of can proceed. The lawsuit alleges that Domino's violated state and federal law by failing to reimburse employees for expenses they incurred while delivering pizzas.
Under Minnesota law, employers have to reimburse employees for their travel expenses. According to the lawsuit, Domino's failed to adequately reimburse its drivers, instead paying a 'per delivery' amount which was not sufficient to cover drivers' actual costs.
The lawsuit also involves minimum wage claims. Under both Minnesota law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, all employees are entitled to be paid the minimum wage "free and clear" of obligations to their employer. The lawsuit alleges that by requiring pizza delivery drivers to pay for their own automobile expenses, Domino's also failed to pay their drivers the minimum wage.
The suit was filed last year on behalf of two Domino's drivers in Minnesota. The ruling means that as many as 22,000 current and former Domino's drivers, employed in nearly every state in the US, could potentially be covered by the suit.
The plaintiffs' counsel also represents pizza delivery drivers in two similar cases, one against Pizza Hut and another against Me-n-Ed's Pizzerias in California.
