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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.

Several current and former African American workers at Super Steel claim the company conducts a hate filled work environment. The lawsuit was filed in federal court on behalf of nine workers. The workers claim over the past several years they experienced racist remarks, vandalism to their lockers, and a segregated environment in the break room. Workers state the company has not done enough to stop the problem despite repeated complaints to superiors.

A nationwide class action has been filed in Ohio against supermarket giant, The Kroger Company. The action is brought on behalf of all current and former employees of Kroger whose health insurance was either reduced or cancelled while on medical leave or who were not reinstated to their previous position once they returned from medical leave. The action is brought under the federal Family Medical Leave Act and seeks statutory and liquidated damages as well as injunctive and declaratory relief.

State Farm Insurance Company claims adjusters stand to gain about $135 million under a class action settlement approved January 17, 2005 by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Anthony Mohr, an attorney for the plaintiffs said. The statewide class of adjusters sued for unpaid overtime. Plaintiffs attorneys said many adjusters will be receiving back payments in excess of $50,000.

A group of six current female executives filed a class action gender discrimination case in the Southern District of New York against Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein ("DrKW"), a German investment bank, whose parent company is Dresdner Bank AG, a member of the Allianz Group. The six current executives have been with DrKW for a total of 50 years.

A statewide collective action has been filed in Florida against Seaspecialties, Inc. The action is brought on behalf of all current and former employees, who since January, 2001, were not paid proper statutory overtime for all hours worked beyond 40 per week. The action is brought under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and seeks statutory and liquidated damages as well as declaratory and injunctive relief. As a collective action, all potential claimants are required to "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 class members.