CHICAGO, February 15, 2024—Fair Labor Standards Act litigation presents a significant risk to companies of all sizes as the pace of these actions continues unabated into 2024. To assist with understanding trends in this realm, Duane Morris LLP has released the Duane Morris Wage & Hour Class and Collective Action Review – 2024, an annual publication that analyzes the key wage-and-hour rulings, settlements and litigation developments in 2023 and the significant trends that are apt to impact these types of class actions in 2024.

In 2023, the top 10 class and collective action settlements in the wage-and-hour space totaled $742.5 million, a significant increase over 2022, when the top 10 wage-and-hour settlements totaled $574.55 million. Overall, in 2023, courts issued 183 rulings certification rulings. Of these, 165 addressed first-stage motions for conditional certification of collective actions under 29 U.S.C. § 216(b) and 18 addressed second-stage motions for decertification of collective actions. Of the 167 rulings that courts issued on motions for conditional certification, 125 rulings favored plaintiffs, for a success rate of nearly 75%. 

Written by Duane Morris partners Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Jennifer A. Riley and associate Gregory Tsonis, the Wage & Hour Class and Collective Action Review – 2024 highlights the authors’ broad experience defending wage-and-hour class and collective actions across the country and aims to provide clients with an analysis of trends and significant rulings to enable them to make informed decisions in dealing with complex litigation risks.

“The stakes at issue in wage-and-hour class and collective action litigation are often significant,” says Maatman. “A company’s market share and corporate reputation are typically implicated, as are the careers of senior management. For obvious reasons, these exposures and risks put immense pressure on corporate decision-makers.”

“This publication aims to demystify some of the complexities of class action litigation and keep corporate counsel updated on the ever-evolving nuances of Rule 23 and Fair Labor Standards Act collective action issues,” continued Riley.

“We hope this book – combining the collective experience and skill set of Duane Morris’ Class Action Defense Group – will assist our clients by identifying developing trends in the case law and offering practical approaches in dealing with class and collective action litigation,” added Tsonis.

Manifesting the collective knowledge of the Duane Morris Class Action Defense Group and more than 125 years’ combined class action experience of our editors, the Duane Morris Wage & Hour Class and Collective Action Review – 2024 is designed to serve as an essential desktop reference for corporate counsel and business decision-makers to identify wage-and-hour risks, implement strategies to mitigate those risks, and best understand the significant monetary exposure for organizations that face a legal challenge regarding these risks.

Download the Wage & Hour Class and Collective Action Review – 2024 e-book from the publisher. The e-book is fully searchable and viewable from any device.

About Duane Morris

Duane Morris LLP provides innovative solutions to today’s multifaceted legal and business challenges through the collegial and collaborative culture of its more than 900 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally. The firm represents a broad array of clients, spanning all major practices and industries. Duane Morris has been recognized by BTI Consulting as both a