Emeritus Senior Living has agreed to settle a $2.2 million lawsuit in which workers claimed they were routinely underpaid at the assisted living company’s California facilities, according to a ProPublica report.
The workers alleged Emeritus violated state laws regarding mandated meal times and rest periods. They also said they were denied overtime and not properly paid for training days, according to the lawsuit.
Emeritus denied any wrongdoing in a comment to McKnight’s: “We deny any allegation that we have violated any state or federal wage laws. At Emeritus, we strive to be the employer of choice…In California, like any other state in which Emeritus has operations, we comply with all applicable wage-hour laws.”
The settlement still needs to be approved by a state judge, which is scheduled to happen next month. The settlement would compensate workers, ranging from certified nursing assistants to janitorial staff that worked at the company’s California facilities between 2007 and 2013.
The news comes on the heels of Emeritus defending itself after a critical Frontline documentary that aired July 30. Emeritus said plans to respond vigorously to the documentary.
