Panera Bread Franchisee, Managers Secure $4.6 Million Wage Deal

A $4.6 million deal between Covelli Enterprises Inc.—the nation’s top Panera Bread franchisee—and more than 900 assistant managers who alleged Fair Labor Standards Act and Ohio overtime violations won final approval from a federal judge, after some modifications.

Judge James S. Gwin cut about $100,000 from class counsel’s attorney fee award, approving them to receive roughly $1.43 million instead of the $1.54 million requested, according to the approval order entered May 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

Class counsel had requested one-third of the $4.6 million total fund, which allocates $900,000 to the Ohio ...