Authored by Michael A. Wahlander and John R. Giovannone
With March Madness in full swing, we interrupt your crumbling tournament brackets to ensure you’re aware of a truly maddening development. California law now makes individuals potentially liable for employer violations of many often-convoluted wage and hour rules.
That’s right—individuals, not just companies, may be liable for wage and
Continue Reading Who Me? Yes, YOU: Personal Liability for Wage Hour Violations
Authored by Kerry Friedrichs
As technology continues to expand and evolve, employers increasingly are needing the services of highly-skilled computer programmers, software engineers, systems analysts, and similar employees. Often, these employees desire flexibility and autonomy in their work schedules. Fortunately, the FLSA and California law enable employers to offer flexibility to these employees, as they both provide a complete minimum
Continue Reading Time to Review the Exempt Classification of Computer Employees?
Authored by Simon L. Yang
California employers had reason to celebrate over the weekend, as Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to curb frivolous “PAGA” lawsuits alleging noncompliance with itemized wage statement requirements in California Labor Code section 226(a). Unlike when they woke up last Friday, employers now have a means to avoid PAGA lawsuits alleging that wage statements lacked either
Continue Reading A Cure for PAGA? At Least for Some Frivolous Wage Statement Claims
Authored by Christopher A. Crosman
We are excited to announce the 15th edition of Seyfarth Shaw’s publication Litigating California Wage & Hour and Labor Code Class Actions. As in previous editions, the publication discusses and analyzes the most commonly filed wage & hour and Labor Code class and representative claims, the development of the law over the last several
Continue Reading The 15th Edition of Litigating California Wage & Hour and Labor Code Class Actions Is Here!
Authored by Simon L. Yang
Final approval of a class action settlement sometimes isn’t so final.
At least that’s what the Ninth Circuit reminded Labor Ready Southwest, Inc. and a class of current and former employees earlier this week. On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit vacated an order granting final approval of their class settlement of FLSA and California Labor Code
Continue Reading Not So Fast (and Not So Final): Ninth Circuit Tells District Court to Reconsider Final Approval of Class Settlement
Authored by Michael W. Kopp
Ordonez v. RadioShack, Part II is the end-of-summer sequel you do not want to miss. It features our protagonist, the “uniform rest break policy,” a sinister cast of declarations of similar treatment, a harrowing finding of unlawfulness, a dramatic second run by plaintiff at class certification, and the court’s emphatic second opinion denying plaintiff’s
Continue Reading Uniform Break Policies Are Not Uniformly Suited for Class Treatment
Authored by Christopher A. Crosman
Just in time for the summer beach reading season comes the 14th edition of Seyfarth Shaw’s publication Litigating California Wage & Hour and Labor Code Class Actions. It contains discussion and analysis of the various types of wage & hour class actions that affect many California employers, and has been updated to reflect the
Continue Reading The 14th Edition of Litigating California Wage & Hour and Labor Code Class Actions Is Here!
Co-authored by Colleen Regan and David Kadue
Gentry is dead. Back in 2007, the California Supreme Court, in Gentry v. Superior Court held that California public policy favoring class actions was so important that employers cannot have employees, in arbitration agreements, waive their right to pursue a class action. Many thought that the Gentry rule contradicted the Federal Arbitration Act,
Continue Reading BREAKING NEWS RE CALIFORNIA CLASS ACTION WAIVERS: GENTRY IS DEAD; LONG LIVE PAGA.
Co-authored by Geoffrey Westbrook and Laura Maechtlen
With years in the making, the long-awaited decision of the California Supreme Court in Duran v. U.S. Bank has finally arrived and represents a significant victory for California employers. Duran is the first case to consider the now prevalent use of statistical evidence by class action plaintiffs to condense class certification briefing and/or
Continue Reading California Supreme Court Finds Plaintiffs’ Use of Statistical Evidence in Class Wage and Hour Litigation Doesn’t Add Up: Why California Employers Now Have a Higher Probability of Success After Duran v. U.S. Bank
Authored by Noah Finkel
California has long been regarded as the epicenter of wage and hour litigation. It is where the most cases are filed. It has the most onerous wage and hour laws. And those laws contain the most draconian remedies. Because of this, California wage and hour claims tend to carry higher settlement value than FLSA claims or
Continue Reading 1 California Class Member = 9 FLSA Collective Action Members