SCRANTON — Chewy is facing a lawsuit alleging its hourly paid warehouse employees are forced to do various uncompensated activities in violation of the state's minimum wage law.
Simeon Myerski filed a complaint Aug. 16 in the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County against Chewy Inc., alleging violation of the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act.
According to his complaint, Myerski began working for Chewy at its Jessup warehouse in November of 2020. He alleges employees are paid on an hourly basis and clock in and out on a time clock on the warehouse floor.
Myerski alleges that Chewy employees had to "engage in various uncompensated activities" at the warehouse prior to clocking-in for their shift. Specifically, Myerski claims that before clocking-in, employees have to: Walk to their assigned locker to leave keys, cell phones, food and other items that are not allowed on the warehouse floor; undergo security screenings including with a metal detector; and have a COVID temperature screening.
He also claims that during the employees' 30-minute, unpaid meal breaks, they must walk to and from the break room, retrieve items such as food from their lockers and undergo further security screening procedures all without compensation. Myerski claims the defendant's failure to compensate its employees is in violation of the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act.
Myerski seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other proper relief. He is represented by Todd O'Malley, Mary Anne Lucas and Kyle Stelmack of O'Malley & Langan PC in Scranton.
Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County case number 21-CV-3498