The Tennessean recently reported employees of a Nashville car wash company have filed a federal lawsuit against the owners of the company.  The suit alleges the employees weren’t paid for hours spent waiting for dirty cars.  Here’s an excerpt from the article:

The 30-year-old carwash is a West End Avenue institution, attracting hundreds of cars during weeks of sunny weather, including those of Music Row fixtures. Workers named in the suit claim managers clock them in and out frequently but forbid them to leave during off hours.

“You need to be paid from the first task of the day until you finish and for any time that you are asked to stand and twiddle your thumbs,” said Charles Yezbak, the Nashville employment lawyer handling the suit against Shur-Brite. “These guys are clocking people in and out at their whimsy and will.”

Owner William Smith said managers clock workers in and out according to how busy the carwash is, but denied that workers are not free to leave anytime they’re off the clock.

“We don’t hold them,” said Smith, who co-owns Shur-Brite with his brother, Glen Smith.

For the complete article click HERE.

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A growing number of similar lawsuits are being filed around the country, according to an analysis conducted by the Bureau of National Affairs. The number of Fair Labor Standards Act federal lawsuits increased from 2,898 cases in 2003 to about 6,735 cases in 2006.  To ensure your business is in complete compliance with all federal and state employment laws business owners should consider partnering with a Professional Employment Organization.  PEOs will keep you abreast of changing employment regulations and will offer to take over the unwanted payroll and HR obiliations.