Defending Workplace Class Actions: Recent Cases, Arbitration Claims, Wage and Hour, Breach of Contract Claims

This CLE webinar will discuss significant developments in defending workplace class action litigation in the areas of settlement, arbitration, certification, and the effect of government enforcement. The panel will analyze class action and collective action rulings involving claims brought against employers in all 50 states, including decisions pertaining to employment laws, wage and hour laws, and breach of employment contract actions. The panel will review significant developments from 2021 and suggest what to expect in 2022 and beyond.

Over the past decade, workplace class action litigation has exploded in prevalence and complexity. For defendants, an adverse verdict could be catastrophic. Settlements create the risk of copy-cat suits, defending claims risks damage to the brand, and rules and regulations have taken a U-turn away from the prior pro-business approach. As a result, managing and combating workplace class action threats requires an evolving and strategic approach.

The influence of arbitration programs greatly affects the types of claims filed as plaintiffs seek to avoid arbitration requirements. Recent legislation bars arbitration of sexual assault or sexual harassment claims when brought against an employer. The future remains anything but clear as to whether arbitration programs will remain viable tools to counter proposed workplace class actions.

Listen as this experienced panel of defense counsel guides practitioners through the thicket of class action and collective action decisions to enable counsel to make sound and informed litigation decisions in this area.