Meatpacking workers in Austin, Minnesota, have filed a class-action lawsuit against Hormel Foods, claiming the company failed to provide paid sick leave required by Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law.
Workers are seeking compensation for the 14-month period during which they say Hormel required them to use vacation days for illness to avoid offering additional paid leave. Hormel declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Hormel now complies with the law, but it continues to deny workers the back pay owed from before March, making this lawsuit the first of its kind under the new legislation.
Photo Credit: Hormel Foods
Comments