Three former employees of the McDonald’s restaurant in Owego have filed a proposed class and collective action in federal court against franchise operator Mac-Clark Restaurants, an affiliated company and two managers.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. According to an announcement from QK Legal, the law firm representing the workers, the complaint alleges that employees, including minors, were required to continue working during carbon-dioxide leaks and other fire-safety problems. The announcement says officials later closed the restaurant because of the safety conditions.
The complaint also alleges that workers were not paid all wages and overtime they were owed. It further raises claims involving retaliation and disability accommodation, including an allegation that one worker was forced out after seeking an accommodation.
The filing seeks to bring wage claims on behalf of current and former employees at restaurants operated by Mac-Clark. The court filing identifies the matter as case 3:26-cv-02306.
The allegations have not been proven in court. The defendants had not filed responses to the complaint when the newsroom reviewed the case announcement. The filing represents the plaintiffs’ account of the dispute, and the court has not ruled on the allegations.
More information about the filing is available from QK Legal.
