Oregon Jury Awards Damages to AutoZone Workers

A jury has found that AutoZone Inc. forced its Oregon employees to work off the clock. Jurors awarded more than $108,000 to former and current workers.

The class-action lawsuit covers more than 1,000 workers from 27 stores in Oregon. Plaintiffs’ lawyer Bud Bailey says the damages primarily cover wages owed to employees for time that they were required to be at the store each day before opening and after closing.

The Multnomah County jury also found that the company should compensate employees for their unpaid time spent driving from one store to another for work purposes.

An AutoZone spokesman said the company is reviewing the verdict as well as the appeal process. The auto parts retailer is based in Memphis, Tenn.