{"id":357880,"date":"2016-04-04T10:45:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/wage-and-hour-class-action-lawsuits.html"},"modified":"2023-10-25T08:02:59","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T13:02:59","slug":"wage-and-hour-class-action-lawsuits","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/wage-and-hour-class-action-lawsuits.html","title":{"rendered":"Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuits<\/h1>\n
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\n By Lisa Burden, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Wage and hour class action lawsuits allow employees to address violations of state and federal employment laws collectively. These actions enable workers to pool smaller claims into substantial cases. These lawsuits remain a crucial mechanism for employees to enforce their labor rights collectively.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Employees pursue claims of state and federal employment law violations through wage and hour class action lawsuits. This occurs when they believe they have been denied rest breaks or not provided the required minimum wage or overtime pay. Wage and hour class actions are often settled to avoid massive judgments.<\/p>\n

Joining a class action lawsuit can be an effective way to collectively enforce your labor rights. Contact an employment attorney<\/a> in your area today to learn more about this process.<\/p>\n

This article explains class action lawsuits in relation to employment law claims, specifically hour and wage violations. For related articles and resources, see FindLaw’s Wage and Hour Laws<\/a> section.<\/p>\n

Why Workers Pursue Class Action Lawsuits<\/h2>\n

Wage and hour litigation can include a surprising range of workers. For example, even professional athletes aren’t immune to employment law claims. A significant portion of the 2022 total came from a $185 million agreement<\/a> between Major League Baseball and minor league baseball players. The ballplayers said MLB violated state and federal employment laws, including minimum wage and overtime pay requirements.<\/p>\n

Employers that violate employment laws often do so to many employees at once, not just to a single individual. A class action lawsuit<\/a> allows workers who have suffered similar harm to come together and pursue their claims in a single court action.<\/p>\n

Suits brought under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act<\/a> (FLSA) are among the most common types of workplace class action litigation.<\/p>\n

Client service associates at brokerage firm Morgan Stanley alleged they were denied overtime wages. Three plaintiffs brought a class action suit on behalf of over 800 employees. The lawsuit resulted in a $2.4 million settlement. Individually, their claims to back pay would have been too small to justify the cost of a lawsuit.<\/p>\n

A class action allows plaintiffs to join together to pursue recovery. Workers often have to do little more than opt-in or sign up for the class action lawsuit<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One category of workers\u2014independent contractors<\/a>\u2014rarely come together in class action litigation. Most labor and employment laws, including wage and hour issues, do not apply to non-employees.<\/p>\n

Common Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuit Claims<\/h2>\n

Many wage and hour class action lawsuits allege employers violated the FLSA. The federal law establishes:<\/p>\n