Employment Legal News Articles & Interviews

Las Vegas, NV Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and parent company TKO Group Holdings Inc. will duke it out during a trial with mixed martial arts fighters who accused the promoter of supressing their wages. Nevada federal Judge B Richard F. Boulware II rejected a $335 settlement because he wanted to see “life-changing” money for the fighters who filed multiple lawsuits a decade ago. 

Memphis, TN On August 20, the Sixth Circuit refused to force participants in two related 401k plans, the "DRiV Plan" and the "Tenneco Plan,” to arbitrate claims that the plans wasted workers’ retirement money by offering sub-par investment choices. At first blush, Parker v. Tenneco, Inc., looks like one of many cookie-cutter ERISA lawsuits that allege sloppy financial management and the price that working folks pay.

Santa Clara, CA A racial discrimination class action lawsuit against Tesla filed in 2017 will go to trial in September 2025, said Alameda County Superior Court Judge Noël Wise during a case management conference in August. Noting that the plaintiff filed his California labor complaint in 2017, Judge Wise said that, "everybody, the plaintiffs and the defense, needs to have closure on these issues." It was the third racial discrimination lawsuit filed against Tesla that year and the first to seek class action status.

Santa Clara, CA A California federal judge has been urged to certify a proposed age discrimination collective action against X Corp, formerly Twitter, on behalf of older workers who were fired during Elon Musk’s massive layoffs in 2022.

Oakland, CA On August 8, the California Court of Appeal denied Tesla’s motion to dismiss a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuit brought by former Tesla employees. At its simplest, Sharonda Taylor v. Tesla, Inc. is about the workers’ struggle to access their own wage and hour records.

San Francisco, CA On August 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of California in Stone v. Alameda Health Systems held that:

Charlotte, NC A former Wells Fargo Securities supervisor was awarded $22.1 million by a federal court jury in Charlotte last month. Christopher Billesdon’s disability and age discrimination lawsuit accused the San Francisco-based bank of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and wrongful discharge under North Carolina state law.

Los Angeles, CA A class action California labor lawsuit alleging STG Logistics and STG Drayage misclassified truck drivers as independent contractors has settled for a $4.2 million. As part of the deal, STG will no longer classify its long-haul drivers as independent contractors in California and New Jersey. And this isn’t STG’s first court appearance.

Boston, MA As of January 2025, manufacturers and retailers of personal protective equipment containing poly- and perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals, known as “forever chemicals”, must give the purchaser written notice that it contains the chemicals, along with a reason why they are being used in the product. And by 2027, sellers and manufacturers of firefighters’ personal protective equipment will no longer be allowed to knowingly sell gear that contains “intentionally-added PFAS.” 

Baltimore, MD A Red Lobster employee has filed a proposed wage and hour class action in federal court accusing the seafood chain of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Maryland Wage and Hour Law. The plaintiff claims the company has not been paying its tipped employees all their wages owed. Rather, workers are paid less than minimum wage with the expectation that tips will make up the difference.