Class Actions

I read an interesting post by Frank Shuster of Constangy, Brooks, Smith on the thorny and often misunderstood issue of the “regular rate” and what that concept entails for compliance

Continue Reading The “Regular Rate” For FLSA Purposes Can Be A Confusing Concept For Employers And An Expensive One!

Plaintiff lawyers are always asserting that every single alleged wage hour violation is “willful” so when they start negotiating a settlement (or trying to) they always start from that position

Continue Reading In An FLSA Case, Just Because The Plaintiff Says It’s Willful Does Not Make It So!

I am always interested in statute of limitations issues and cases because it is the first defense I look to when defending a FLSA case. On occasion, a suit will

Continue Reading Dismissal Of FLSA Class Action On Statute Of Limitations Grounds: An Interesting (And Important) Variation On The Theme

I have blogged on this issue a number of times, i.e., that federal courts are starting to tilt away from the typical and very, very easy way that plaintiffs now

Continue Reading Sixth Circuit Joins Fifth Circuit In Looking Towards A New, Fairer Way To Determine Whether Conditional Certification Is Appropriate: A New Day Dawning!

The certification process for FLSA collective actions has typically been a two-step process. The first step is to secure conditional certification, which is often handed out as easily as a

Continue Reading The Times They Are A Changin’–A District Court Rejects The “Usual” Two Tier FLSA Class Action Certification Model

I read an interesting blog post by Epstein Becker on the misunderstood issue of gap time and what that means for employers.  It notes that employees must be paid overtime

Continue Reading Gap Time Claims: What Are They And Can Employees Recover Back Wages For Them? Depends On Where The Employer Is Located

The FLSA is very strict concerning proper deductions from exempt employee salaries.  Improper deductions can undermine the exemption for the individual employee and possibly the entire class of exempt employees. 

Continue Reading Improper Deductions From Salary Can Jeopardize Exempt Status But Not If Taken From PTO Time: Great Decision!

I have defended numerous FLSA class actions and a big reason that these cases settle is due to the fee-shifting nature of the statutes involved.  A defendant employer not only

Continue Reading Attorneys’ Fees Can Be Won By Plaintiffs Even If Some Claims Are Defeated Or Withdrawn: What’s Going On?

When an employer is sued in a FLSA class/collective action, a big bone of contention often is the definition of the class and what should or should not be in

Continue Reading Company Wants FLSA Class Action Dismissed Due To Plaintiffs Improper Actions Regarding Notice To Opt-Ins