An Oregon jury yesterday ruled that Les Schwab Tire Centers ‘routinely and systematically’ failed to pay its assistant managers overtime even as it required them to work 60 hours or more per week.
The Multnomah County Circuit Court jury found in favor of a group of former and current Les Schwab store assistant managers who sued the company over the overtime issue.
The trial now moves to the penalty phase, where the award amount will be determined.
According to The Oregonian, “The jury ruled that Les Schwab worked its assistant managers 66 hours a week on average, including every other Saturday,” and that the company incorrectly “deemed the assistant managers exempt from Oregon’s wage-and-hour laws requiring that they be paid time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond a regular 40-hour workweek.”The Bend, Ore.-based retailer said it would appeal the verdict.
"Les Schwab respectfully disagrees with the court’s decision and fully expects to win this case on appeal," the company said in a statement. "Our assistant managers have always played a vital role in managing our stores and ensuring our commitment to providing outstanding customer service.”
The lawsuit in September 2008, and some 200 current and former assistant managers employed by the company from September 2006 to 2011 were eligible to join the legal action.
