Second Circuit Revives Amazon Workers' Class Action for Security Screening Pay
The Second Circuit revived a class action allowing Amazon workers to seek backpay for security screening time.
Why it matters: The ruling could set a precedent for unpaid work time claims in labor litigation, influencing policies at major corporations and guiding legal counsel handling wage and hour disputes.
- The lawsuit was initially filed in 2021 by Amazon warehouse workers in Connecticut.
- The Second Circuit reinstated the case on August 24, 2026, nearly two years after a lower court dismissed it.
- In February 2026, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that employees must be paid for time spent in mandatory security screenings, rejecting the de minimis doctrine.
- Under Connecticut law, all time employees are required on premises, even if not actively working, must be compensated.
On August 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reinstated a class action lawsuit originally filed in 2021 by three Amazon warehouse workers in Connecticut. The case seeks backpay for mandatory security screenings workers undergo at the end of their shifts. This reinstatement came nearly two years after a lower court dismissed the suit, giving the workers another opportunity to pursue the claim (Courthouse News).
This development follows a pivotal February 2026 ruling by the Connecticut Supreme Court in Del Rio v. Amazon.com Services, Inc., which clarified that under Connecticut wage laws, employees must be compensated for all time spent undergoing mandatory security screenings. The court rejected the de minimis doctrine, which often allows employers to disregard minimal amounts of unpaid work time (Robinson+Cole Legal Update).
The Connecticut Supreme Court emphasized that "an employer must compensate its employees for any period of time during which the employer requires its employee to be on its premises, even if the employee is not required to work during that time period." This interpretation strengthens protections for employees seeking fair compensation for all hours spent at work, including security procedures performed post-shift (CBIA).
The reinstatement by the Second Circuit signals a renewed judicial willingness to hold large corporations accountable for paying workers for time spent in security screenings, potentially extending beyond Connecticut. Legal teams advising corporations on wage and hour policies should monitor this evolving landscape closely.
By the numbers:
- 2021 — Class action lawsuit filed by Amazon workers
- February 2026 — Connecticut Supreme Court rules security screenings are compensable time
- August 24, 2026 — Second Circuit reinstates the lawsuit