Catherwood LibraryILR School

Lawsuits filed in New York, Michigan, and California allege that McDonald?s stores deny workers break periods, force workers to work off the clock, and deny workers specified meal periods. Only two of the seven lawsuits name the McDonald?s Corporation as the defendant, all others name franchisees. A company spokesperson stated that McDonald?s was vigorously committed to the fair treatment and well-being of their workers in both corporate and franchise stores and that the corporation would conduct a thorough investigation of the claims. All of the suits are or seek to be class-action or collective-action meaning that more than 30,000 low-wage workers could join. Some of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs believe that, because of the degree of control McDonald?s exerts over its franchisees, the McDonald?s Corporation should also have some degree of control over their franchisees? pay practices and therefore is culpable in all of the suits filed.