If your employer has treated you illegally, you may not be alone
Employment class action lawyers at Schaefer Halleen, LLC, in Minneapolis have had exceptional success in seeking justice for employees through employment class action lawsuits. If you would like to discuss an individual or class action employment lawsuit in Minneapolis with one of our employment class action attorneys, please contact us to arrange a free case evaluation. We serve clients in Minnesota and nationwide.
Minnesota employment class actions we have handled
Our class action attorneys have frequently had the opportunity to hold a corporation accountable on behalf of a large group of employees. Demonstrating that there has been a pattern of illegal employment practices often is the best way to get a company to respond appropriately. It puts us in a strong negotiating position and allows us to achieve excellent results on behalf of our clients. Class actions lawsuits might involve the following:
- Employment discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, or disability
- Violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including improper job classification as exempt, and failure to pay overtime
- Violations of ERISA pension and benefits law, including mismanagement of pension funds
Our attorneys have represented groups of employees in class action in Minneapolis, MN suits against:
- Wal-Mart
- Kmart
- Northwest Airlines
- Cargill
- American Express
- Target Corporation
- Control Data
- First Union Bank
- Wells Fargo
- 3M
- University of Minnesota
- Ford Motor Company
- Koch Refining Company
- General Mills
- Verizon
- City of Minneapolis
Employment Class Actions
Groundbreaking Work in Minnesota Employment Class Actions
Our employment class action attorney Lawrence P. Schaefer has handled significant, ground-breaking class action cases in all fields of employment law, including:
- Class action lawsuit depicted in the movie,”North Country,” starring Charlize Theron
- Gender and age discrimination class action on behalf of over 3,000 female financial advisors, recovering a $31 million dollar settlement on behalf of the women and significant changes to company practices (Kosen v. American Express Financial Advisors)
- Race discrimination class action in which he successfully pursued claims on behalf of over 1,200 African American class members (Aburime v. Northwest Airlines)
- ERISA class action, recovering $26 million on behalf of over 75,000 participants challenging the management of 401(k) funds (Franklin v. First Union)
Attorney referrals and legal affiliations
Our employment class actions attorneys welcome the opportunity to affiliate with other lawyers in the area of employment law class actions, and have done so on numerous occasions, working with lawyers nationwide. We also welcome referrals. If you are unsure about the class action potential and strategy for prosecution on a case, please feel free to contact our office and discuss the matter.
Employment Class Action Lawyer in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Call 612-294-2600 to discuss your Employment Class Action case with a knowledgeable lawyer.
FAQs About Employment Class Action Suits in MN
Yes, you can file a class-action lawsuit against your employer as long as you have not signed an arbitration agreement prohibiting this practice. Often the best way to motivate a company to respond appropriately is by demonstrating that you and others have been subjected to a pattern of illegal employment practices. Proving you were subjected to this type of treatment puts the employee in a strong negotiating position and allows a class-action attorney to achieve excellent results. Class-action lawsuits might involve employment discrimination, violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), violations of ERISA pension and benefit law, or violations of other state or federal laws.
Every class-action case is different and there is no way to predict how long it will take your case to be settled, if it settles at all. If the class-action settles, then you cannot expect a settlement check until the class action process has been completely resolved. Even after a settlement agreement is submitted to the courts, you may not see a check for six to nine months or longer.
It depends on your situation, but joining a class-action settlement is usually beneficial. If you do not want to bring your own suit (which requires a lot more time and money), joining a class-action lawsuit is often a good idea. Joining the class-action lawsuit may be the only way for you to be compensated for your employment law claims or financial losses. If you are unsure on whether you should join a class-action lawsuit, speaking to a class-action attorney can help you make up your mind.
No, you cannot be fired just for participating in a class-action lawsuit. If you participate in a class-action against your employer by alleging workplace discrimination or violations of wage and hour laws, federal law protects you against retaliation by your employer. Since courts take workplace retaliation very seriously, you could potentially pursue a separate lawsuit if your employer retaliates against you by firing you, decreasing your pay, or taking other adverse employment actions against you because of your participation in a class action lawsuit.
Yes, a class-action can be filed in state or federal court. However, the majority (80-85%) are filed in a federal court. Prior to Congress passing the Class Action Fairness Act (“CAFA”), class-action laws varied from state to state. The CAAFA was passed with the intent of standardizing class-action guidelines from state to state. As a result, the differences between a federal class-action and a state class-action are minimal. If you are trying to determine which type of class-action is best for your situation, then you should discuss the options with your attorney.
Recent Posts from Schaefer Halleen
Navigating a RIF? Key Questions to Consider Before Accepting a Severance Package
In times of corporate restructuring or a Reduction in Force (RIF), employees often grapple with a significant decision: whether to accept a severance package. It’s important to approach this crossroads with clarity and careful thought. Here are key questions to ask when presented with a severance offer as part of a RIF: What Does the […]
The End of Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Clauses?
Employee severance agreements consist of an exchange of promises between the employer and employee. The core of the agreement is the employer’s promise of some benefit – often a monetary payment – to the employee, in exchange for the employee’s promise to release potential legal claims against the employer. Buried in the written terms of […]
Accommodations in the Workplace for Managing Disabilities
Blog written by Makenzie Krause and Mack Reed. When an employee brings a claim against their employer for failure to accommodate a disability, the employer often argues it was not aware of the disability, and that in any event the employee never requested an accommodation. Because many employee/employer interactions occur through verbal conversations (either […]
