Lawrence Hill, Adam Wise, And Robert Miller, Res. v. Garda Cl Northwest, Inc., App.

Security Company Must Pay Nearly $7.4 Million for Denying Workers Proper Breaks

Nearly 500 security guards sued their employer, Garda CL Northwest, for not providing proper meal periods and rest breaks required under Washington state law. The workers claimed the company either didn't give them breaks at all or didn't give them enough time to actually eat and rest during their shifts.

The court ruled in favor of the workers and ordered Garda to pay $7.36 million in total compensation. This included back pay for the missed breaks and attorney fees. While the original court also awarded double damages as punishment, a higher court later removed some of those extra penalties.

What This Means for Workers:

This case shows that employers must follow state laws about meal and rest breaks - they can't just ignore these requirements to save money or because of business demands. If your employer regularly denies you proper break time, you may have legal rights to compensation. Workers can band together in class action lawsuits when many employees face the same violations, which can be more effective than individual complaints. The large financial penalty here sends a message that courts take break violations seriously.