AP: Smart & Final settles class-action suit over wages

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Friday, September 16, 2005

Smart & Final settles class-action suit over wages

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – Grocery chain Smart & Final said Wednesday that it reached a tentative $19 million agreement in a class-action lawsuit claiming employees were not properly paid.

The suit, filed in May 2001, was certified as a class action in 2004 with about 13,000 potential plaintiffs who include current and past employees of California stores. The employees alleged the Los Angeles-based chain failed to properly calculate overtime pay and also neglected to pay for all hours worked.

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Smart & Final admitted no liability or wrongdoing as part of the settlement. It settled to avoid dragged-out litigation, said President and Chief Executive Officer Etienne Snollaerts. The grocery chain operates 238 stores in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho and Mexico.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/09/16/sections/business/oc_region/article_677431.php