Franchisee’s Alleged Failure to Pay Panera Bread Assistant Managers OT

Operator of More Than 300 Panera Bread Franchises Subject of Two Overtime Pay Lawsuits on Behalf of Panera Bread Assistant Managers to Whom Covelli Enterprises Allegedly Failed to Pay Overtime for Work Beyond 40 Hours Per Week

On January 9, 2018, a collective and class action was brought against Covelli Enterprises, Inc. in United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, by Plaintiff Erin E. Kis on behalf of herself and all other similarly situated Panera Bread Assistant Managers for Covelli Enterprises’ alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Law.

According to the complaint, Covelli Enterprises owns and operates more than 300 Panera Bread franchises in Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.  The Plaintiff, who regularly worked more than 40 hours per week as an Assistant Manager at a Panera Bread restaurant in Wadsworth, Ohio, was not an exempt employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act and did not receive pay for her hours worked beyond 40 per week, as required by law.

The overtime lawsuit seeks, among other things, compensatory damages at one and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked beyond 40 a week and liquidated damages at one and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked beyond 40 a week.

On February 22, 2018, a collective action was filed by Plaintiff Chelsea Romano against Covelli Enterprises, Inc. in United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, for improperly classifying Plaintiff and other Panera Bread Assistant Managers as exempt from federal overtime compensation, thereby depriving Assistant Managers of overtime wages for hours worked in excess of 40 per workweek.

According to the collective action complaint, Covelli Enterprises is the single largest Panera Bread franchisee, operating more than 260 Panera Bread restaurants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Florida, and Ontario, Canada with revenue of approximately $614.3 million in fiscal 2015.

The Plaintiff, according to the collective action complaint, served as an Assistant Manager from approximately September 2014 until August 2016 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and worked more than 40 hours per week without receiving overtime pay for hours she worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek.

Among other relief, the collective action seeks unpaid overtime and liquidated damages.

Panera Bread Assistant Managers

If you served as a Panera Bread Assistant Manager and believe you have claims for unpaid overtime, please contact Michael Yarnoff, Esq., (215) 792-6676, Ext. 804, [email protected], complete the form above on the right or e-mail [email protected].

Kehoe Law Firm, P.C.