Seyfarth Synopsis: PAGA claims brought under pre-reform PAGA must be brought within one year of a Labor Code violation experienced by the plaintiff and because a PAGA claim necessarily has both an individual and a non-individual component, failure to do so warrants dismissal.
The Second District affirmed the Superior Court’s dismissal of a PAGA claim where the PAGA notice and
Continue Reading PAGA Paraphrased – Williams v. Alacrity Solutions Group, Inc.Seyfarth Synopsis: In 2023, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”) under the Biden administration started accepting public comments about the many petitions for waiver that key stakeholders, including the California Attorney General, had submitted. These petitions sought waivers from the FMCSA’s 2018 determination preempting California and Washington’s meal and rest break rules for truck drivers. Many commentators—including this
Continue Reading Waiver Goodbye – Continued FMCSA Preemption Of Meal And Rest Periods For California and Washington Drivers
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Fourth District held that a motion to compel arbitration is not the correct vehicle to challenge a plaintiff’s failure to plead the individual component of a PAGA claim affirming the Superior Court’s denial of a motion to compel arbitration as there was no individual component alleged to compel to arbitration.
The Fourth District reviewed a Superior Court
Continue Reading PAGA Paraphrased – Parra Rodriguez v. Packers Sanitation, Inc.
Seyfarth Synopsis: In E.M.D. Sales, Inc., et al. v. Carrera, et al, the United States Supreme Court unanimously held that employers need only prove an employee is exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act by a preponderance of the evidence standard rather than by clear and convincing evidence.
In E.M.D. Sales, Inc., et al. v. Carrera, et al
Continue Reading United States Supreme Court Holds That The Preponderance-Of-The-Evidence Standard Applies to Exemption Defenses Under The Fair Labor Standards Act
Seyfarth Synopsis: Class Certification Recipe Needs More Flavor: The Fourth Circuit tossed out a class certification order for Bojangles’ shift managers, citing a high level of generality in identifying common policies and overly broad class definitions as insufficient under Rule 23. The court’s message? For a class action to pass the Rule 23 taste test, you need a well-seasoned mix
Continue Reading Frying the Certification: Fourth Circuit Turns Up the Heat, Reversing Class Certification Decision for Bojangles Shift Managers In Wage Suit
Seyfarth Synopsis: Advancing the trend of courts unwilling to rubber stamp the conditional certification of FLSA collective actions, Publix developed an early record of evidence that—when properly scrutinized—warranted the denial of collective certification in a case brought by five alleged representative plaintiffs claiming that they and thousands of others worked off-the-clock in violation of policies expressly prohibiting it. This hallmark
Continue Reading The Facts Matter: Publix Defeats Certification of Off-The-Clock Assistant Manager Claims
Seyfarth Synopsis: A federal district judge has vacated the U.S. DOL’s 2024 rulemaking increasing the minimum salary employers must pay to exempt executive, administrative, and professional employees. That minimum now reverts to an annualized threshold of $35,568, and $107,432 in total pay for the highly compensated employee exemption. While current DOL leadership may appeal, it is highly unlikely that the
Continue Reading 2016 All Over Again: Texas Judge Rejects FLSA Exemption Salary Hike, Restores $35,568 Minimum
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Second District again held that issue preclusion barred plaintiff’s PAGA claim because he failed to establish any violation of the Labor Code and arbitral findings have a preclusive effect on a plaintiff’s standing in a stayed PAGA claim.
The Second District again grappled with the issue of whether an arbitrator’s previous adjudication of Labor Code violations
Continue Reading PAGA Paraphrased — Rodriguez v. Lawrence Equip., Inc.
Seyfarth Synopsis: In March 2024, the Sixth Circuit in Parker v. Battle Creek Pizza, Inc. announced a new standard for assessing vehicle reimbursements under the FLSA. The Sixth Circuit rejected both employees’ requests for the use of the IRS rate and employers’ use of a reasonable approximation of expenses, instead requiring the use of actual expenses. A recent decision from
Continue Reading Taking a Slice Out of Parker: District Court Rejects Sixth Circuit’s Reimbursement Standard for Pizza Delivery Drivers
Tips from Seyfarth is a blog series for employers, and their in-house lawyers and HR, payroll, and compensation professionals, in the food, beverage, and hospitality sector. We curate wage and hour compliance “tips” to keep this busy industry informed.
Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 29, 2024, the Fifth Circuit granted the Department of Labor’s Petition for Panel Rehearing in the 80/20
Continue Reading Tips from Seyfarth: Opinion Update – Fifth Circuit Clarifies Scope of its Decision Vacating 80/20 Rule