Legal News Articles & Interviews

Newark, NJ A proposed class action filed in a New Jersey federal court accuses Dutch manufacturer Royal Philips of knowing for months that its CPAP sleep machines posed a serious health hazard but “unreasonably delayed” the recall. Philips also faces a securities class action lawsuit—and remember the COVID-19 ventilator debacle? That too was Philips.

Los Angeles, CA Two former nursing school professors whose California wrongful dismissal lawsuit claims they were fired in retaliation for helping students alleging sexual harassment asked for $55 million and settled for $1.4 million. Pastor Gregory Johnson (accused of sexually inappropriate behavior) and the American University of Health Sciences denied the allegations and claimed the profs were fired after failing to cooperate with the nursing school’s investigation into their plans to start a competing school.

San Francisco, CA On September 20, the Ninth Circuit partially dismissed, partially upheld and remanded back to the District Court a GrubHub driver’s claim that he was owed back wages and other remedies under the California Labor Code and related wage orders. Raef Lawson v. Grubhub is a complicated decision, but there is some positive news for gig workers who allege that they were misclassified as independent contractors.

Kansas City, MO On September 24 in Lipari-Williams v. Missouri Gaming Co., the District Court for the Western District of Missouri put off a decision about whether to grant class action certification to a group of casino workers who allege that they were overcharged for their health coverage based on their tobacco use. Their wage and benefit plan lawsuit alleges that the premium surcharge assessed under Argosy Riverside Casino’s insurance plan did not meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The court granted certification to workers who brought wage claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Missouri state law but held off on the ERISA claims.

Santa Clara, CA Cresco Labs, the cannabis and medical marijuana company, has been slammed with a lawsuit filed under California's Private Attorneys General Act, alleging it didn’t pay workers for time spent “donning and doffing” – putting on and taking off—personal protective equipment required by the multi-state pot company. Every minute counts with the California Labor Code, but can workers be protected from a federally illegal business?

San Jose, CA On September 23, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California heard objections to a $95.7 million offer made by Wells Fargo to settle consolidated class action lawsuits brought by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Consultants (HMCs). The lawsuits allege that the bank violated California state labor laws by failing to either provide or pay for rest breaks for its HMCs.

Cleveland, OH On September 14, the Northern District of Ohio granted conditional certification to a group of hemp workers in Tenita Bryant v. North Coast Natural Solutions, LLC. The employees may now move one step farther along in their pursuit of unpaid wages claims against a collection of related hemp enterprises that did business as AgeVital Pharmacy. Their lawsuit alleges violations of both the federal Fair Labor Standards Ace (FLSA) and the Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Act (OMFWSA).

Alameda County, CA Sections of Proposition 22—which went into effect last November-- are in violation of California’s  constitution and therefore unenforceable, ruled an Alameda County Superior Court Judge. The ruling has gig economy investors worried and California labor advocates jubilant.

New York, NY A woman identified as JC  filed a civil sexual abuse lawsuit last month with the New York Supreme Court accusing Bob Dylan of sexual assault, battery, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress over a period of six weeks back in 1965. The 68-year-old plaintiff says she is “emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged to this day”.

Columbus, OH It took the jury only hours to come back with a resounding victory for C.R. Bard in first bellwether surgical mesh lawsuit in the Multidistrict Litigation consolidated in the Southern District of Ohio. On September 8, the jury in Johns v. C.R. Bard, et al found in the defendants’ favor on all of Steven Johns' claims against them. No damages were awarded to Johns.