Martin & Jones Blog

Del Monte Fresh Found Liable For Requiring Processing Employees To Don/Doff

November 3, 2009 at 11:28 am by Jill Hernandez | Profile

The press release states employees were required to dress in white smocks, put in place hair and beard nets, put on rubber gloves, and slide on half-length plastic arm sleeves to cover the area from elbow to wrist.

The verdict resolves a class-action lawsuit against Fresh Del Monte filed in September 2007 by former and current employees, which alleged wage and hour violations, failure to compensate for time spent putting on and removing protective clothing, failure to pay overtime and requiring that workers receive an uninterrupted 30-minute lunch break.

According to plaintiffs' counsel, Fresh Del Monte failed to pay minimum wage and, in some cases, overtime wages. Fresh Del Monte will be liable for attorneys fees, legal costs, and jurors will rule on the damages at an unscheduled date.

Tags: Wage_and_Hour unpaid_minimum_wage; overtime; unpaid_overtime; donning_and_doffing;