For too long, fast food workers suffered from unpredictable schedules and income that made it hard for them to create a budget, schedule childcare, or pursue education. That changed with the passage of the City’s Fair Workweek Law, which went into effect in 2017 and required predictable schedules for fast food workers as well as retail and utility safety workers.
But not all businesses complied. In 2018, after receiving complaints from Chipotle employees in Brooklyn and from 32BJ SEIU, DCWP initiated an investigation into Chipotle’s compliance with the Fair Workweek Law—and the NYC Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law. In 2019, following the investigation, DCWP filed a case against Chipotle at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. In 2021, after uncovering significant new information about violations across New York City, DCWP expanded the case against Chipotle to include locations citywide.
Last month, we announced a settlement with Chipotle. The settlement is the largest Fair Workweek settlement in the country and the largest worker protection settlement in NYC history. It requires Chipotle to pay approximately $20 million to approximately 13,000 workers who experienced violations of their right to predictable schedules and paid sick leave. Chipotle will also pay $1 million in civil penalties.
Chipotle workers and other workers can visit nyc.gov/workers or call 311 for more information about the settlement and their rights. Businesses can learn more about how to comply with the City’s workplace laws at nyc.gov/BusinessToolbox or by calling 311.
Vilda Vera Mayuga is the Commissioner for the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Learn more about DCWP’s Office of Labor Policy & Standards—NYC’s central resource for workers—at nyc.gov/workers.
