$8 Million
Elias, et al v. El Pollo Loco
Class action,Employment,Wage and
Hour Class Action
Attorneys:
Mike Arias
Case Synopsis
Arias Sanguinetti represented a restaurant manager who, like many others at El Pollo Loco, was denied proper overtime pay and meal breaks. The lawsuit claimed that although these workers were labeled as managers, most of their time was spent doing regular tasks like cooking, cleaning, and cashiering—work that should have made them eligible for overtime.
When the company tried to force the case into private arbitration, the court found the agreement unfair and unenforceable. Workers had been pressured to sign confusing paperwork that stripped them of their rights without clear explanation.
The case moved forward in court and ultimately led to an $8 million settlement on behalf of current and former employees who had been misclassified and underpaid. This resolution helped thousands of workers recover the wages they were owed.
"Thousands were misclassified and denied their rightful wages. We held El Pollo Loco liable, turning a fight for fair pay into an $8 million victory for workers.”
