Lawsuit Accuses Washington Pizza Chain of Underpaying Delivery Drivers
A proposed class-action lawsuit claims popular Western Washington chain restaurant Zeeks Pizza withheld wages, tips and other money owed to delivery drivers.
Seattle attorney Toby Marshall filed the suit on behalf of Zeeks driver Chance White in King County Superior Court, The Seattle Times reported.
According to the suit, Zeeks and two franchisees “engaged in a systematic scheme of wage and hour abuses against its pizza drivers.” Among the claims is that Zeeks failed to pay drivers for all hours worked; failed to pay drivers an automatic delivery charge assessed on customers; and failed to pay drivers all their tips and gratuities and reimburse them for mileage.
Total monetary damages are to be determined at trial, according to the suit.
Attempts by the newspaper to reach Zeeks owners, corporate offices or franchise owners for comment weren’t successful.
dThe suit is filed on behalf of a proposed class of over 100 people that includes delivery drivers at any Zeeks Pizza restaurant in Washington from May 24, 2018 through the date of final disposition of this action, according to the suit.
One of the biggest issues for drivers has been the company’s failure to reimburse mileage or give drivers the customer delivery surcharge, said White. Drivers can easily cover 50 to 100 miles during a busy shift, which at a minimum should be reimbursed at the federal rate of 56 cents a mile, White said.