In a significant legal development, a collective and class action lawsuit has been filed against a major parking management company for alleged violations of federal and state labor laws. The complaint, brought forth by Rashaan Carter on January 10, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, accuses SP Plus Corporation of systematically failing to compensate its employees for overtime work.
Rashaan Carter, who worked as a Valet Parker and Valet Manager for SP Plus Corporation from February 2023 to August 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, claims that the company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act (PMWA). According to Carter's allegations, SP Plus routinely permitted or required employees to work beyond their scheduled hours without proper overtime compensation. "Defendant’s standardized policies do not maintain accurate records of actual work time," states the complaint. Carter seeks to represent all similarly situated employees across multiple states under FLSA and specifically those in Pennsylvania under PMWA.
The complaint details how SP Plus Corporation allegedly manipulated timekeeping records and failed to pay wages for missed meal breaks or overtime hours worked beyond a standard 40-hour week. Despite being aware of these practices through complaints from employees and familiarity with wage laws, the company is accused of continuing these unlawful actions. The plaintiff argues that these practices are part of a broader pattern affecting potentially thousands of current and former employees nationwide.
Carter's lawsuit aims to secure compensatory damages, liquidated damages, pre-judgment interest, attorney’s fees, costs owed on their respective claims, and an injunction prohibiting SP Plus from continuing its alleged wage violations. Additionally, he seeks class certification for his PMWA claim to address grievances collectively on behalf of affected Pennsylvania workers.
Representing Rashaan Carter are attorneys James B. Zouras and Teresa M. Becvar from Stephan Zouras LLC based in Chicago, along with David J. Cohen from their Philadelphia office. The case is presided over by judges at the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:25-cv-00312.