Papa John's new deep-dish pizzaA pair of Atlanta law firms are suing the operator of 42 Papa John's restaurants in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee for failing to pay minimum wage to their delivery drivers.
The law firms Paul McInnes LLP and Weinhaus & Potashnick filed what they hope will become a class action lawsuit against QS America, Inc., for allegedly violating federal wage and hour laws by not reimbursing about 1,800 drivers who worked in the past three years as drivers at the affected Papa John's stores.
The suit says such drivers were not adequately compensated for their automobile expenses, resulting in unreimbursed business expenses that reduce pizza delivery drivers' net wages below minimum wage. In a 19-page suit filed earlier this month, attorney Ralph Jordan also said the Papa John's franchisee "requires its employees to pay for uniform their own items, including Papa John's distinctive logoed shirts, sweatshirts, coats and hats. Such charges further reduce their net wages below the minimum wage," Jordan said.
The lawsuit is pending federal court in Atlanta.