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A former PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC employee has initiated a class action suit against the Big Four firm claiming unfair pension practices. The company, as well as its partners who oversee the pension and retirement plans, face a class action lawsuit that contends they used the pension plans as tax shelters for well-off partners to the detriment of regular employees and the public.

Henry Ford Hospital agreed to settle two class action lawsuits filed by seven employees who alleged employment discrimination against African-Americans dating from 1998. Henry Ford Hospital agreed to pay about $1.1 million to class representatives and “eligible members of the class.” Members of the class include hospital employees employed between July 10, 1998, and Dec. 31, 2002, and who are not named plaintiffs. They will receive $350 each. An additional $1 million will fund a series of career-development, mentoring and diversity-training programs at the hospital.

A statewide collective action has been filed in Massachusetts against the Town of Agawam and the Agawam Police Department. The action is brought on behalf of all Agawam police officers who have not been paid proper overtime compensation for all hours worked in excess of 40 per week. The action is brought under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and seeks statutory damages, liquidated damages and injunctive and declaratory relief. As a collective action, all potential claimants are required to "opt-in" to the case in order to be considered a part of the class. The officers have requested that the court issue notice to all potential claimants.

If your employer harms your retirement plan, federal law gives you a way to fight back. A class action has been filed against The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, certain of its officers and directors, and The Northern Trust Company on behalf of persons who participated in the Goodyear Employee Savings Plan for Salaried Employees between March 26, 1999, and October 22, 2003. The action alleges that the company violated the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) when officers breached their fiduciary duties by making false statements that had the effect of inflating the price of the company's stock and failing to sufficiently diversify the retirement plan's stock holdings.

Reduction and even elimination of health care benefits is a growing source of controversy between U.S. corporations and their retirees. Two related class actions have been filed against Rexam, Inc.--the current owner of the American National Can Company--and the Rexam Retired Employees Group Insurance Plan on behalf of employees who retired from National Can and who now allege that Rexam has violated the federal Labor Management Relations Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) by unilaterally reducing retiree medical benefits.

The parties have reached a tentative $538,000 settlement in a class action filed against clothier The Gap, Inc. on behalf of African-American employees who were employed at the Gap's Gallatin, Tennessee, campus between October 7, 1999, and September 12, 2003. The action alleged that they were discriminated against in violation of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Tennessee Human Rights Act. Persons eligible to participate in the action should contact the class attorney for more information.

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