Chicago-based pizza chain, Barraco's Pizza, Inc., is facing a class-action lawsuit for allegedly underpaying its delivery drivers.
The suit was filed by plaintiffs Hasan Burns, Paul Long, and Chardonnay Varnado on behalf of all similarly affected individuals.
The lawsuit alleges that the company failed to pay its delivery drivers minimum wage for each hour worked as required by the Illinois Minimum Wage Law. It also claims that Barraco's did not pay overtime wages to its drivers who regularly worked more than 40 hours per week.
The plaintiffs were employed as delivery drivers at different Barraco's Pizza locations. They claim that they were paid on a tips-only basis and received no wages from the company. The only compensation they received was a five-dollar per-delivery fee charged to customers, which they say was meant to cover job-related expenses such as gasoline and other automobile costs.
The case was filed in Cook County Circuit Court.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages "including the full amount of unpaid wages, overtime, statutory and punitive damages, penalties, and interest allowed under the IMWL," plus attorney fees.
They are represented in the action by attorney Mark Bulgarelli, of Progressive Law Group, of Evanston.