Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc. v. Busk

In the first week of its term, starting on October 6^th, the Supreme Court heard the case of Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc. v. Busk. The case centered on whether or not the employees of Integrity Staffing Solutions in Nevada, where Amazon merchandise is processed and shipped, should be compensated for the time they spend undergoing security screenings at the end of shifts. These security screenings, which are aimed at protecting the company from theft, can take up to a half an hour, and the employees argued that they deserved some degree of compensation for their time spent there.

This Tuesday, in a unanimous decision, the Court ruled that companies do not have to pay employees for the time they spend in security checks at the end of their shifts. This ruling can easily be considered a victory for employers over worker compensation.

Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman said that the allegations of the employees were simply not true, and that the screening process is designed to take only 90 seconds. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the process is not a “principal activity” of the workers’ job, and is therefore not subject to compensation.

However, many have disagreed with the Court’s decision, since there is evidence to show that, at least sometimes, the process is not 90 seconds long, and can be much longer. Furthermore, the decision may lead to more disagreements over wage in the future, as large corporations may see the decision as federal support to become bolder in their claims surrounding what constitutes and does not constitute work and payment.