The de Blasio administration is seeking more than $1 million in restitution for Chipotle workers in a suit filed against the fast-food chain for allegedly violating “nearly every aspect of the city’s Fair Workweek Law.”
In court documents, the administration and its Department of Consumer and Worker Protection allege that Chipotle failed to provide work schedules two weeks in advance, did not receive consent or pay premiums for last-minute schedule changes, did not provide good faith estimates of work schedules, and failed to offer newly available shifts to current employees.
The city’s Fair Workweek Law, which was amended last July, requires that workers be given predictable schedules in fast-food and retail industries and be offered newly available shifts before new workers are hired. Its objective was to create pathways to stable, full-time employment in these traditionally low-wage, high-turnover sectors.
More than 30 workers from five different Chipotle locations in Brooklyn filed complaints with the worker-protection agency, formerly known as the Department of Consumer Affairs.
"I used to work at the 185 Montague St. Chipotle,” said Steve Vidal in a statement provided by the administration. “I started out as a takeout specialist and I became a service manager. In my time at this Chipotle store, I saw the company violate not one, but all the tenets of the Fair Workweek Law.”
The agency, which also accuses Chipotle of maintaining an illegal sick-leave policy, is investigating 11 Chipotle locations in Manhattan for alleged similar violations.
In a statement, Chipotle spokesperson Laurie Schalow, said the company is committed to complying with all laws and regulations.
“Chipotle has been working cooperatively with the city to ensure we have systems and processes in place to comply with the law, so we believe the filing of charges was unnecessary,” Schalow said. “Regardless, we will continue to cooperate with the city and we are addressing any prior noncompliance concerns.”
As the news of the lawsuit circulated among investors, the fast-food chain’s shares tumbled 5%, CNBC reported.