News

Class size shrinks in Pizza Hut labor suit

October 13, 2005

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A class-action lawsuit claiming some Pizza Hut units improperly classified managers and denied them overtime pay will have just 88 eligible members if the case goes to trial.

According to a regulatory filing from Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands, the lawsuit, Coldiron v. Pizza Hut, Inc., filed Aug. 13, 2003, in a California U.S. District Court, alleges restaurant general manager Ann Coldiron and other current and former Pizza Hut RGMs were improperly classified as exempt employees under the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act. Plaintiffs claim their duties included non-managerial tasks for which they should have been paid overtime. In the suit, they are seeking unpaid wages, plus penalties.

Plaintiffs' lawyers claimed potentially thousands of Pizza Hut RGMs could participate in the class, but no more than several hundred ever joined the litigation. In June, Pizza Hut lawyers moved to have much of that group disqualified from participating in the suit. The court granted the motion, and that pared the eligible class to 88 members.

Pizza Hut contends it did not violate any FLSA regulations and wants the suit dismissed.

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