Secretary United States Department of Labor v. East Penn Manufacturing Inc

**Court Orders $22.25 Million Payment to Workers for Changing and Shower Time** This case involved East Penn Manufacturing, a company that required hourly workers to change into work clothes and shower at the workplace. The U.S. Department of Labor sued the company, claiming it failed to pay workers for the time they spent changing and showering, which violated federal wage laws. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the workers, ordering East Penn Manufacturing to pay approximately $22.25 million in back wages to 11,780 employees. The court rejected the company's arguments that workers had to prove their unpaid time wasn't minimal, and that the company only needed to pay for "reasonable" time rather than the actual time spent changing and showering. This decision is significant for workers because it establishes that employers must pay for all work-related activities, even seemingly minor tasks like changing clothes or showering when required by the job. Workers don't have to prove these activities deserve pay – if the employer requires them, they must be compensated. This ruling protects workers from having small amounts of unpaid time add up to substantial wage theft over time.