MSE recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of a proposed class of Sales Associates/Budtenders working for Curaleaf at their four retail locations in Maryland. The lawsuit alleges that Curaleaf unlawfully required the Budtenders to share their tips with Leads and Managers in violation of federal and state law. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), it is illegal for workers, including Budtenders, to share their tips with supervisors and managers, regardless of whether the workers are paid at the lower, tipped wage or at the full minimum wage or higher. The lawsuit seeks to recoup the tips unlawfully given to Leads and Managers plus liquidated damages equal to the amount of stolen tips.
The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and is called Beck v. Curaleaf, Case No. 1:25-cv-741. MSE attorneys Molly Elkin, Sarah Block, and Rachel Lerner represent the budtenders.
There has been significant press coverage of the case. To read those articles and to learn more about the case, click on the links below:
The case is not yet certified as a class action, meaning that Budtenders who worked for Curaleaf in Maryland in the last three years must affirmatively opt into the case to participate. If you have been a Store Associate/Budtender at any of Curaleaf’s four Maryland retail locations in the past three years and were required to participate in a tip pool that included Leads and/or Managers, please contact MSE at [email protected] with the subject line “Curaleaf” to learn more about how to join the case.
Workplace violations are common in the cannabis industry. If you are or have been a Budtender, or worked for another company where you earned tips that you were required to share with supervisors or managers, please contact MSE today through our website to learn more about your rights and to schedule a consultation with an experience labor and employment attorney.
