Pret A Manger (USA) Ltd. was hit with a putative class and collective action suit in New York federal court on Wednesday accusing the sandwich chain of underpaying its hourly laborers.  The case was filed on behalf of three named plaintiffs who say they worked for the defendant in New York.

The lawsuit, which invokes the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law, claims Pret A Manger willfully failed to properly pay both straight time and overtime compensation due to the plaintiffs and those similarly situated.  "Defendant's practice and policy has been, and continues to be, to willfully fail and refuse to properly pay straight time and overtime compensation due and owing to plaintiffs and all other similarly situated employees," the complaint says, invoking the the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law.  Pret A Manger has had a policy and practice of refusing to pay minimum wages and a premium rate for overtime hours to hourly laborers, according to the plaintiffs, who seek unpaid wages as well as liquidated damages. (click on link to read full story)