Class-action lawsuits against retail stores, banks.
AB Wire
The California Supreme Court made it more difficult Monday for companies to deny employees a seat while they work, reported the Los Angeles Times.
In response to class-action lawsuits against retail stores and a bank, the state high court said employers should offer workers a chair when some of their duties can be performed sitting. Employers argued that workers could be denied a seat if portions of their job required them to stand.
“There is no principled reason for denying an employee a seat when he spends a substantial part of his workday at a single location performing tasks that could reasonably be done while seated, merely because his job duties include other tasks that must be done standing,” Justice Carol A. Corrigan wrote for a unanimous court.
The ruling came in a request from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which must decide three class-action cases on the issue. The federal court asked the California justices to clarify state law.
Michael Rubin, who represented workers before both the state high court and the 9th Circuit, said Monday’s decision would have a “huge impact” and affect “almost every industry” in the state, especially retail, reported the Times.
Most large retailers require checkout cashiers to stand because of a perception that customers regard standing workers as more attentive and welcoming, Rubin said.
He said the class action lawsuits involved tens of thousands of workers in California, but the ruling would affect millions.
The suits were filed by workers against CVS Pharmacy Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and JPMorgan Chase Bank.
Read the full story: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-court-sitting-workers-20160404-story.html