Employment Class Actions
With the rising number of employment class action lawsuits being filed in state and federal courts in all jurisdictions, employers — both large and small — are in need of top-notch defense counsel to protect their interests. Schiff Hardin's Labor and Employment Group offers in-depth experience and streamlined efficiency that is critical to any employment class action. Schiff Hardin's attorneys have represented employers in a wide variety of class action litigation including:
- FLSA collective actions in federal court
- Pattern and practice/disparate impact race, national origin and gender discrimination class actions
- Overtime class actions in state court
- Meal and rest break class actions
- Employee misclassification class actions
Wage and Hour Class Actions
Schiff Hardin is well-equipped to defend clients in the recent surge of wage and hour related lawsuits. We have a vibrant labor and employment practice and a nationally recognized class action defense practice, and we have brought both to bear in defending asserted wage and hour class actions across the country. Our attorneys know the substantive law that underlies these disputes, and they know how to handle the procedural challenges that the class action device presents.
Schiff Hardin regularly counsels clients regarding wage and hour issues, the payment of overtime, and the determination of whether employees are exempt. We have represented clients in wage and hour proceedings under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and state statutes such as minimum wage laws, sales representative laws, and wage payment and collection laws. As part of our representation in these areas, we have represented clients in proceedings at the state and federal Departments of Labor as well as in state and federal court litigation.
Alternative Dispute Resolution in Class Claims
We also have experience arbitrating class claims. When advisable, we have successfully mediated class claims on both a settlement fund and claims-made basis. Schiff Hardin's employment attorneys understand that clients are interested in efficiency and economy. With more than seven decades of experience among our class action experts, we staff our class action cases with attorneys who understand the procedural practicalities and pitfalls that can make litigating class claims unbearably expensive. We manage those issues by being proactive in developing our litigation strategy.
