An employee of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has filed a lawsuit alleging the company has failed to pay overtime to hundreds of employees.The class-action complaint filed Thursday in federal court in New York says the Denver-based restaurant chain has misclassified its "apprentices" as managerial, salaried employees who don't qualify for overtime pay. The suit contends apprentices earn salaries of $40,000 but frequently work more than 40 hours a week performing the duties of hourly workers, including cooking and filling orders.
Plaintiff Maxcimo Scott is a general manager of a Chipotle in New York but says he sometimes worked up to 55 hours a week as an apprentice.
The lawsuit seeks back pay and damages.
Chipotle didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. It has about 1,350 restaurants.