Starbucks must return tips, court says

SAN DIEGO, March 21 (UPI) -- Starbucks baristas in California won a class action suit in a San Diego court Thursday that claimed the company stole millions from the tip jar.

The court ordered Starbucks to return $100 million to current and former baristas, who have been forced to share their tips with shift supervisors since October 2000.

The coffee store chain has 2,460 stores in California and the class action could involve more than 100,000 coffee servers, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Some may receive as much as $10,000 in lost tips.

The company said it would appeal the decision, which it said, "represents an extreme example of an abuse of the class-action procedures in California courts."

Barista Leekeisha Smith of Los Angeles had a different opinion. "I'm stoked," she said.