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California state law protects workers from unexpected job losses due to layoffs. A class action has been filed against defunct law firm Brobeck, Phegler, & Harrison, LLP, and its successor, Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius, LLP, on behalf of employees who allege that they were laid off in February 2003 without giving them the 60-day notice required by the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Federal civil rights laws prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The parties have reached a settlement apparently valued at $1.5 million in an administrative action filed against the U.S. Department of Agriculture on behalf of Asian and Pacific Islander workers who allege that they were passed over or demoted after they filed discrimination complaints, in violation of their civil rights.

A class action has been filed on behalf of home health care workers employed by Magna Community Living Services, a Tulsa based provider of home health services. The suit alleges that workers employed at Magna between 2001 and 2004 routinely worked more than 40 hours a week but were not paid overtime as required by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The plaintiffs seek an award of the unpaid overtime with interest, attorney's fees and costs, as well as liquidated damages and equitable relief.

A statewide collective action has been filed in Florida against Nicholas Financial, Inc. and its President, Peter Vosatas. The action is brought on behalf of all current and former Florida employees who did not receive overtime compensation as required for all hours worked in excess of 40 weekly. The action is brought under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and seeks back-pay, compensatory damages, liquidated damages as well as declaratory and injunctive relief. As a collective action, all potential claimants must opt-in to the action in order to be considered part of the class. The employees have requested that the court issue notice to all potential claimants.

Royal Dutch/Shell Group agreed to pay about $90 million to settle a lawsuit brought by its U.S. employees after the company overstated its oil and gas reserves by 41 percent. The accord brings to about $240 million costs related to the overstatement, which led to lawsuits, criminal investigations and the ouster of Chief Executive Philip Watts. Insurance will cover $25 million of the settlement, Shell said in a statement July 12, 2005.

A class action lawsuit has been filed in the Western District Court of Washington against CPM Development Corporation (DBA Icon Materials), a Washington state based paving business for violations of the wage, hour, and labor laws and regulations of the State of Washington. Class members seek damages, attorney's fees and costs of the litigation.

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