Call center employees at American Express (News - Alert) Travel Related Services, a subsidiary of American Express, reportedly filed a class action lawsuit alleging that 'the company required them to work off the clock and through their lunch breaks without compensation.'

 

The suit, filed recently in Arizona, alleges that American Express is in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and Employee Retirement Income Security Act: 'Call center employees working as customer service representatives were required to work overtime as well as work during unpaid lunch breaks without being compensated for those hours,' according to Anne Regan of Zimmerman Reed, the law firm hired to represent the employees.

 

According to the suit, Zimmerman Reed officials say, 'American Express knowingly violated the FLSA when it intentionally failed to include time worked at the beginning and end of shifts as well as during unpaid breaks,' in the employees' wages.

 

'Travel Related Services' pay policies don't allow call center employees to count as time worked things most workers would get paid to do…like talking to American Express' clients,' Regan said. 'They are clearly owed these unpaid wages.'

 

American Express Travel is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express, which is headquartered in New York City.

 

Last October, TMC (News - Alert) had news that American Express and Altour announced that American Express has agreed to sell 12 travel service offices to Altour, with the travel offices to remain a part of the American Express Retail Network through the Altour relationship.

 

The groups said that they expect the transaction will close by the end of the year, subject to standard closing conditions.

American Express Travel offers multi-channel servicing to ensure customers can be serviced in the way they choose - including walk-in, call-in and click-in online service, company officials say.

 

American Express Travel's in-person servicing through the American Express Retail Travel Network is composed of both owned travel service offices and members of the U.S. Representative Travel Network.