Outback Steakhouse Sued For Off-the-Clock & Outback Time

Servers at Outback Steakhouse restaurants have sued the restaurant chain for requiring unpaid waiters, waitresses, and bussers to work without pay during a pre-shift period, known as “Outback Time” that could last up to two hours. The lawsuit against Outback restaurants also alleges that the restaurant chain refuses to pay servers overtime pay or for time spent in mandatory online training sessions and attending mandatory meetings and events, and prohibits its workers from taking mandated meals breaks. The Complaint, filed in federal district court in Nevada, alleges that the restaurant chain designates the fifteen minutes before each shift and the two hours before the restaurant opens as Outback Time and prohibits its employees from clocking in and receiving pay for this time worked.  Attorneys for the restaurant workers seek back pay and damages on behalf of a nationwide class of Outback Steakhouse employees and seek to enforce the workers’ rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”).