Three former employees at Princeton's recently opened Nassau Street 7-Eleven say they were paid between $6 and $6.50 per hour
PRINCETON - Some former 7-Eleven employees at the store's Nassau Street location are accusing the convenience chain of paying them - and other workers around central New Jersey - far less than minimum wage.
Three former employees, who used to work at the recently opened 7-Eleven on 259 Nassau Street, were hired at the end of last year to restock shelves and clean the convenience store, according to a lawsuit filed in Mercer County Superior Court last month.
The store's two owners, who are named as defendants in the suit, paid the employees less than the New Jersey minimum wage of $8.38, they said.
"Plaintiff's initial pay was $6, paid in cash, and paid irregularly," the suit said. Roger Martindell, an attorney for the employees, said two of the three workers believed they were being paid anywhere from $6 to $6.50 per hour. The third employee was paid $6.50, he said.
All three employees also worked over 40 hours a week but were not paid overtime, according to the suit. Martindell said that in some cases, the employees worked up to 70 hours a week.
Two of the men, who were hired in December, complained to their managers about the pay only weeks after they took the job but they were both fired, the suit said.
"Plaintiffs were terminated, allegedly as a result of their work quality, but in fact because of and in retaliation for their complaints about non-payment of lawful wages," the suit said.
N.J. Democrats push for $15 minimum wage
The third employee continued working at the store until early February, Martindell said.
The employees and their allegations of unfair payment in December is indicative of a larger problem in the 7-Eleven cooperation, according to Martindell.
"This store is not isolated in its treatment of employees," he said Thursday, adding that he believes other 7-Eleven stores in central New Jersey engage in similar practices of underpaying their employees.
Along with the owners of the Princeton store, the lawsuit names the entire 7-Eleven company, based in Dallas, Tx., for allowing workers to continue being underpaid.
The lawsuit comes alongside a protest, which was held outside of the 7-Eleven store on Nassau Street Thursday morning, Martindell said. Another demonstration is planned for next Thursday.
It also comes in the midst of a national and state-wide discussion over whether the minimum wage should be raised. State Assembly Democrats announced last month their plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Near the end of last month and beginning of March, towns across New Jersey began to join the fight to raise the wage.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.