A class action lawsuit has been filed against the coffee giant for allegedly violating a Massachusetts law regarding tip sharing with supervisors. The lawsuit was filed in Suffolk Superior Court and claims Starbucks violated a state law that prohibits supervisors from sharing tips reserved for waiters, bartenders and other employees paid below the minimum wage. The class action was filed on behalf of thousands of Starbucks workers and represents any workers who have been employed at any Massachusetts Starbucks over the last six years. There are nearly 200 Starbucks stores in the state of Massachusetts.
The lawsuit comes five days after a California judge considering a similar case ordered the company to pay baristas in that state $100 million in tips and interest.
Starbucks Tips Articles
Tip Sharing the Subject of Several LawsuitsStarbucks is not the only company facing lawsuits regarding its tip sharing policy. In fact, a few companies face similar lawsuits related to their practice of sharing employee tips with supervisors. At the center of the issue is how employees and supervisors are classified and whether it is legal for employers to expect employees to share their tips with their supervisors.
Starbucks: Tips Come in Handy When You Don't Make Beans
While the recent move to grinding coffee beans will give Starbucks locations that freshly-ground aroma reminiscent of an old-fashioned coffee shop, there is a new smell wafting throughout the chain, and to some it stinks. To others, it's an odor they can live with. Others still, just don't know what to make of it. To all, the tip-sharing issue will not go away anytime soon.
Starbucks Baristas in New York Suing for Tips
After Starbucks refused a judge's order to pay back tips owed to their California baristas because it says there is nothing wrong with its policy, a former barista from New York filed a lawsuit on April 3 in Federal District Court in Manhattan that accuses the company of cheating thousands of New York baristas out of tips owed to them. This case is similar to the previous case in California that said the company allowed shift supervisors to share tips with the employees.
Starbucks Ignores Court Ruling Vows to Appeal
After a court ruling that says Starbucks' tip policy is not fair to its workers and being ordered to pay up to $105 million in penalties to those who were affected in the tip sharing issues, the company is defending its policy. The company feels that their policy of dividing the tips out amongst its workers has been shown in a very unpleasant light.
