Washington Wage-and-Hour Class Action Filed Against Command Security, Inc.
A new class action lawsuit highlights common wage-and-hour issues in the private security industry across Washington State. The lawsuit against Command Security, Inc., a company that provides contracted unarmed security services to businesses throughout Washington, alleges the company failed to properly pay its non-exempt, hourly employees.
According to the complaint, Command Security failed to ensure that unarmed security officers and other non-exempt employees received legally required meal and rest breaks, including a 10-minute paid rest break for every four hours of work and a 30-minute meal period for shifts over five hours. Employees allegedly were not paid the required premium pay when breaks were missed, shortened, or taken late.
The complaint also alleges that employees regularly worked off-the-clock time before and after shifts and during meal and rest periods without compensation, and that the company failed to pay overtime for hours worked over 40 in a week. It further claims the company failed to reimburse employees for necessary work-related expenses and failed to maintain accurate records of hours worked and breaks taken, as required under Washington law. The lawsuit alleges these violations were willful and not the result of a bona fide dispute, and that the company failed to pay all wages — including break premiums, unpaid overtime, and unreimbursed expenses — owed to employees upon termination.
The case seeks to proceed as a class action on behalf of current and former non-exempt, hourly employees of Command Security, Inc. in Washington State from three years prior to filing through final resolution.
