July–September 2024
Action Junk Hauling, LLC, a company that dispatches leads to junk removal sub-contractors, agreed to an informal resolution under the Independent Contractor Protections (ICP) Ordinance. Allegations included failure to provide workers with a notice of rights regarding the law and failure to comply with the prohibition against retaliation. In response to OLS’s Notice of Complaint, Action Junk Hauling, LLC agreed to pay $600 in civil penalties to the affected worker.
OLS investigated the restaurant Criss-Cross Applesauce, Inc., dba Bai Tong Thai Street Cafe for alleged violations of the Wage Theft Ordinance. OLS alleged the restaurant failed to provide all required rest and meal breaks to employees. Bai Tong settled the allegations and agreed to pay $46,270.32 in back wages, interest, liquidated damages, and civil penalties to 137 employees. Bai Tong also agreed to adopt policies and practices to comply with rest and meal break requirements.
Greenlake Senior Services, LLC dba Emerald City Senior Living, an assisted living and senior care provider, agreed to an informal resolution under the ICP Ordinance. Allegations included failure to make timely payment in accordance with the terms and conditions of a pre-work written notice or contract. In response to OLS’s Notice of Complaint, Emerald City Senior Living agreed to pay $1,040 for the work performed.
OLS investigated Guru Nanak Restaurants, Inc. dba IHOP (“IHOP”) for alleged violations of the Secure Scheduling Ordinance, the Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) Ordinance, and the Wage Theft Ordinance. The IHOP global franchise has more than 500 employees and 1,500 locations worldwide; franchisee Guru Nanak Restaurants, Inc. dba IHOP operates two Seattle locations. OLS alleged the restaurant at times failed to provide a good faith estimate of hours employees could expect to work; pay employees for employer-initiated schedules changes; pay extra for shifts separated by less than 10 hours and provide all required meal periods. IHOP settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $323,089.34 to 297 affected workers and $4,298.71 to the City of Seattle. IHOP also agreed to pay $5,681.05 to an employee to settle allegations of retaliation under the Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance. IHOP agreed to develop and implement written secure scheduling, meal and rest break, and PSST policies. IHOP also agreed to a management-level training on the Ordinances.
OLS investigated Integral Senior Management, LLC, Integral Senior Living, LLC, and ISL Employees, Inc. (collectively, ISL) for alleged violations of the Wage Theft Ordinance. ISL manages independent senior living communities in over 20 states, including Washington, and currently has no Seattle locations. OLS alleged that ISL failed to provide rest breaks and meal periods to employees who worked as caregivers, medical aids, and medical techs at Queen Anne Manor Assisted and Memory Care Community in Seattle between December 2, 2018 and October 23, 2022. ISL settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $227,509.68 in back wages, interest, liquidated damages, and civil penalties to 117 affected workers.
OLS investigated Inter-Con Security Systems Inc. for alleged second violations of the PSST Ordinance. The California-based company contracts with businesses to provide security services in the Seattle area. OLS alleged the employer failed to provide employees with a compliant PSST/PTO policy, automatically cashed-out employees’ PTO balance, denied appropriate use of PSST at times, and retaliated against an employee when the employee attempted to use PSST and received an automated email threatening potential disciplinary action. After OLS initiated a limited investigation under our Limited Investigations Pilot Program in March 2024, the company distributed a compliant PSST/PTO policy and updated its automated attendance email. Inter-Con Security Systems Inc. settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $35,928.05 to 30 affected employee and $498.98 to the City of Seattle. OLS opened this investigation and executed the settlement agreement in 180 days.
OLS received a worker complaint alleging that JPC LLC, dba Dominos Pizza was not compliant with the Commuter Benefit Ordinance. In response to OLS’s Cure Letter, the company contacted Commute Seattle for assistance and implemented a compliant policy effective August 2024.
OLS investigated Lincoln Towing Enterprises, Inc. for alleged violations of the Wage Theft Ordinance and PSST Ordinance. Lincoln Towing operates a towing business with four Seattle locations and approximately 30 employees. OLS alleged that Lincoln Towing failed to maintain a PSST policy that complied with the PSST Ordinance, failed to provide PSST accrual at the correct rate, failed to provide employees who worked as clerks with all required meal and rest breaks, terminated one employee in retaliation for complaining to management about missed breaks, failed to provide written notice of employment information, and made unlawful deductions from driver employee paychecks between October 4, 2018 and July 11, 2024. Lincoln Towing agreed to settle the allegations and pay $100,629.29 to 89 affected workers in back wages, interest, liquidated damages, and civil penalties, and $2,179.97 to the City of Seattle. Lincoln Towing also agreed to develop and implement a written deductions policy.