Eli Lilly & Co.

A nationwide class action lawsuit has been filed against the pharmaceutical giant on behalf of sales people seeking back pay and overtime. The lawsuit seeks overtime wages dating back two to six years, under federal and state statutes of limitations. In the 80s, sale people had the freedom to pitch the company's products to doctors, but within a decade, Eli Lilly began carefully scripting sales pitches for fear of competitors' lawsuits and scrutiny by the Federal Food and Drug Administration. By doing so, unique abilities offered by skilled sales staff were taken away and therefore so were the company's rights to exempt employees from overtime pay.