Pizza Hut, Potbelly to pay out $53K for sick time violations in Minneapolis

The City of Minneapolis has reached settlements with two national restaurant chains for violation of sick and safe time ordinance.

The city says an investigation found violations of the ordinance at the Pizza Hut at 1101 Hennepin Avenue and the Potbelly Sandwich Works in the IDS Center.

In both instances, employees are the restaurants were not paid for sick leave time taken in 2019.

As a result of the settlements, Muy Pizza Minnesota LLC, a owner of multiple Pizza Hut franchises, has agreed to pay 43 current and former staff a combined $33,630.

Potbelly Sandwich Works LLC has agreed to pay 57 current and former staff $19,795.

The city's sick and safe time ordinance requires employees with six or more staff to provide at least one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked.

Those with five or fewer workers must also provide sick time, but it may be unpaid.

The law went live in July 2017 but was not fully enforced due to a legal challenge that failed earlier this year.

"The goal of the ordinance is to protect public health and prevent workers from being penalized because of illness or a need to care for a sick family member," the city says.