More than 1,000 Seattle workers will receive cash from Carpe Diem Pizza Inc. after allegations of inconsistent schedules and non-payment of bonuses.
SEATTLE — A Seattle Domino’s Pizza franchise operator has agreed to pay more than $2.1 million to 1,330 Seattle workers after being accused of violating city ordinances on safe hours, minimum wage and wage theft.
On Monday, the Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) announced the settlement following its investigation of Carpe Diem Pizza Inc., which operates 14 Domino’s Pizza locations in Seattle and dozens elsewhere in the Puget Sound area.
Following the investigation, OLS accused the company of failing to always provide employees with schedules at least two weeks in advance, of failing to provide workers with honest estimates of work schedules, and of failing to provide bonus to workers whose schedules have been modified with less than two weeks. -one week notice.
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“A lot of us were working to the bone in this franchise, and for them to not follow Seattle law on top of that was so disheartening,” said Lynzie Dugar, who worked for Carpe Diem Pizza in 2018. “It felt like we had no real power to do anything about it because they owned so many stores and none of us could afford to lose our jobs if we were retaliated against.
The OLS also alleged that the company failed to pay Seattle minimum wage to delivery drivers to make deliveries in Seattle while working near the city border. Additionally, the OLS said the company does not consistently pay overtime to employees who work more than 40 hours per week.
In a statement, Carpe Diem Pizza called the survey a “learning opportunity”.
“We believe that every worker is essential and should be scheduled and paid fairly, respecting their time and desire to earn a predictable salary. We believe we have achieved this goal for our team and remain committed to this goal,” the statement reads in part. company statement.
The company also released the following statement last Friday:
“Carpe Diem Pizza, Inc. is a local, family owned pizza place that proudly owns and operates various Domino’s Pizza restaurants in the Puget Sound area. Their goal is to provide great products and service to their customers and community, with the support of their valued team members who are the face of their business.
“While there has been no official finding from the city, Carpe Diem Pizza has reached an agreement with the City of Seattle Office of Labor Standards to resolve its investigation related to certain wage and hour rules. The investigation was primarily related to technical issues with record keeping under Seattle’s Complex Secure Scheduling Ordinance Carpe Diem Pizza has complied in good faith with the requirements of the Ordinance and believes it is planning its employees fairly and with respect for their time and desire to earn a predictable salary.This includes offering employees flexible work hours when they request it, including voluntarily [requesting] leave work early or arrive late. However, the City did not agree that the company fully fulfilled certain technical obligations. Carpe Diem decided to solve the problem to save time, effort and resources for itself and for the City.
“The settlement amount does not reflect individualized assessments or actual violations. Instead, the amount each employee will receive is based on a formula using the number of shifts each employee worked during the settlement period. 4 years covered by the survey. So employees who have been with the company the longest will see the greatest benefit. It is important to note that nothing has been found to discover that the company deliberately changed the hours employees without complying with the ordinance’s notice of requirement or intentionally violated the law.Instead, Carpe Diem believes the investigation was primarily based on a technical record-keeping obligation regarding schedule changes and the City’s broad interpretation of it.
“Carpe Diem Pizza continues its commitment to providing excellent service to both its employees and its customers. While it denies any wrongdoing (as reflected in the settlement agreement), the company has cooperated with the investigation and is pleased to have concluded [a] resolution. He used the survey as a learning opportunity to help improve employment practices and record keeping, including improved training, improved record keeping processes related to schedule changes and best practices to keep up with salaries, which he says reflect the City’s expectations. Ultimately, the settlement allows Carpe Diem and its valued team to focus on what it does best: providing hot, delicious pizzas at great value.
“We look forward to continuing to serve the Seattle community with the help of our great team.”
Workers who wish to ask questions, file a complaint or provide information to OLS can call 206-256-5297 or complete the online form.
Employers can also get free, private help from OLS to ensure they are in compliance with city labor standards.