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Union Says Staffing Suit Could Cost $10 Million

January 10, 2012

A group of hotel workers in Indianapolis, Ind., sued staffing firm Hospitality Staffing Solutions LLC of Atlanta and 10 hotels in Indianapolis claiming wage and hour violations. Unite Here, a union, reports the potential liability in the case is $10 million in back pay.

The lawsuit claims workers were regularly not paid for all hours worked and were not paid required overtime.

Fourteen workers were listed as named plaintiffs in the complaint. The lawsuit seeks class action status.

Hospitality Staffing has contracts with the 10 hotels to provide housekeeping and food service staff, according to the lawsuit. Workers in the suit include housekeepers, banquet servers, cooks, bussers and other food service employees, according to the lawsuit. Hotels at which they work include Embassy Suites Downtown, the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, the Canterbury Hotel, the Westin Indianapolis, the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, JW Marriott Hotel, the Hyatt Place Indianapolis Airport Hotel, The Holiday Inn Select Airport Hotel, the Conrad Indianapolis and the Omni Severin.

The union claims in a press release that hotel workers in Indianapolis are among the lowest paid in the nation with wages starting at $7.25 an hour with few or no benefits.