Uniform company accused of violating LA living wage law will settle for $6.5 million

Cintas lawsuit to be settled for $6.5 million

LOS ANGELES — A uniform company has agreed to pay $6.5 million to settle a lawsuit claiming it failed to pay its laundry workers a living wage.

Ohio-based Cintas agreed last Friday to pay $3.3 million in back wages and interest to more than 500 Southern California workers and another $3.2 million in penalties and attorney fees.

A union that sued Cintas five years ago announced the tentative deal Thursday.

Cintas was accused of violating a Los Angeles living wage ordinance while working on city contracts from 2000-2004.

Cintas doesn’t admit wrongdoing in the settlement, which still needs a judge’s approval. The company says it complies with all wage laws but settled to avoid extra litigation costs.

Cintas was told to pay $1.4 million to settle a similar lawsuit last year in the Bay Area.