Key Takeaways
The Second Circuit held that employer-required waiting time may be compensable under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), even when employees have not clocked in or performed their regular duties.
The court rejected the argument that 15 minutes of unpaid waiting time per week was necessarily too insignificant to support a wage claim.
Employers should review pre-shift reporting requirements, workplace access procedures and timekeeping policies to ensure employees are compensated for all legally compensable time.
Time is money, even when employees are stuck waiting for the clock to start. On October 13, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit revived a proposed wage-and-hour class action against grocery chain Lidl US, LLC, holding that employees required to report to work before their scheduled shifts may be entitled to compensation for time spent waiting to begin work.
The divided decision in Santos v. Lidl US, LLC serves as a reminder that employers… Read the complete article here...
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