Dempsey v. Verizon Communications: A Deep Dive into Pension Risk Transfer LawsuitsNew York, NY On December 30, three former employees of Verizon Communications filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 56,000 Verizon Communications, Inc. retirees who formerly participated in either the Verizon Management Pension Plan or the Verizon Pension Plan for Associates. The breach of fiduciary duty ERISA lawsuit is the newest in a series of pension risk transfer litigation – a new twist on a familiar story because it involves old-fashioned defined benefit pension plans rather than 401k plans.
Ozempic Linked to Muscle and Bone LossWashington, DC “'You've got the shrinks!' cried Mr Twit.” Roald Dahl’s "The Twits" tells the story of a deliciously dreadful old couple who torment each other (and their pet monkeys) with malicious pranks, including one where Mr. Twit gaslights his wife into believing that she’s shrinking.
Apple Proposes $95 million to Settle Siri SnoopingOakland, CAApple has filed in federal court a proposed $95 million payout to settle claims that Siri—Apple’s digital assistant— recorded owners' conversations without consent (after they activated Siri unintentionally) and allowed third-party contractors—such as advertisers—to listen in. The settlement could include anyone who owned a Siri-equipped device, such as the iPhone and Apple watch.
Reuters reported that the class period began when Siri incorporated the "Hey, Siri" feature that allegedly led to the unauthorized recordings.
CA Atty General Files Criminal Charges in Wage Theft CaseLos Angeles, CA On November 26, Rob Bonta, California’s Attorney General, announced that his office had filed 31 criminal charges and two enhancements against US Framing West and two employees for multiple violations of California labor laws. US Framing allegedly underpaid its workers by roughly $40,000 at a public works project in Cathedral City. The criminal charges cite the company for grand theft, payroll tax evasion, prevailing wage theft, filing false documents with the State, and failing to pay more than $2.5 million in state payroll taxes during this period.
Apple Employee files Privacy LawsuitSanta Clara, CA An Apple employee has filed a California labor PAGA lawsuit accusing the tech giant of harmful workplace policies by spying on its workers and violating workers’ privacy rights via their personal iCloud accounts and non-work devices. This lawsuit isn’t the first complaint about Apple’s ability to access workers’ private information but it details how company policies can make you subject to surveillance.
Hair Relaxer Litigation and Proposed Legislation Increases AwarenessQueens, NY A recent awareness event held in Queens brought together dozens of women to discuss the possible link between hair relaxers and serious health issues, including reproductive cancer. A panel of women also addressed more product label transparency, particularly warning labels regarding harmful chemicals that are found in hair straighteners.
Disney to Pay $233 million to Settle Wage Theft LawsuitAnaheim, CA Disney has agreed to pay $233 million to settle a California labor class action lawsuit that will affect over 50,000 current and former employees, including Cast Members directly employed by Disney and employees working for contractors such as Sodexo. The settlement ends a wage theft lawsuit originally filed five years ago alleging the company failed to comply with Anaheim's $15 minimum wage ordinance. After duking it out with union cast members last summer, Disney agreed to raise their base pay to $24 per hour.
FDA Greenlights Clinical Trials to Study Cannabis for PTSD TreatmentWashington, DC In a surprise move, the Food and Drug Administration has authorized the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) to conduct clinical trials to study the effectiveness of smoking cannabis to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans. It is no secret that veterans with PTSD commonly use marijuana to manage their symptoms when other medications are ineffective. Until now, however, there has been no scientific evidence as to its safety and effectiveness.
Walgreens Settles Call Center Workers' Unpaid OT SuitChicago, IL A lawsuit filed in late 2021 by former Walgreeens call center workers has been settled. The plaintiffs claimed they, and other customer service representatives, were required to work without compensation before and after their shifts, such as starting up and logging into computer systems. Working off-the-clock is in violation of state and federal wage laws.
$2.25 Million Settlement Pending in Seidner v. Kimberly-ClarkDallas, TX A $2.25 million settlement that, if approved, will end
Seidner v. Kimberly-Clark was filed on December 2 in the Northern District of Texas. The long-running class-action ERISA lawsuit alleges that fiduciaries of the Kimberly Clark Corporation 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan breached their legal duty under ERISA by paying higher fees ($78 per participant) than what was paid (about $30 per participant) by plans of comparable size. Excessive fees erode the ultimate value of participants’ retirement savings.
