Starbucks Has to Pay for Drips of Off-the-Clock Work (1)

Starbucks Corp. has to pay for California workers’ off-the-clock work that lasts a few seconds or minutes past a scheduled shift, the state Supreme Court ruled.

The ruling could expose businesses in California to lawsuits that say they owe millions in unpaid wages under state law, such as pay for time an employee spends locking up after clocking out. The Starbucks shift supervisor’s lawsuit is still making its way through the judicial system, but the Supreme Court’s ruling creates a new precedent that applies for all employers throughout the state.

“This decision for California law and employers in the state ...