Papa John’s Employees Granted Class Action Status

U.S. District Court Judge Gary Allen Feess has certified a class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on behalf of a group of employees who worked for a Papa John’s Pizza restaurant franchisee which formerly operated 14 restaurants in California. The ruling clears the way for up to 900 former employees of PJ United, Inc. and its subsidiary, PJ Cheese, to have their claims heard in a single trial. According to representatives at the law offices of Shawn Khorrami and Kabateck Brown Kellner, LLP, who represent the class, the suit charges that the franchisee misclassified workers as store managers to avoid providing meal breaks, rest periods and overtime pay, and denied meal and rest periods to drivers and other store employees.