Month: February 2018
4 WIGGINS CHILDS LAWYERS NAMED TO 2018 BEST LAWYERS
The Firm congratulates Robert F. Childs, Jon C. Goldfarb, Candis McGowan and Temple Trueblood, who have all been selected by their peers to be included in the 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Recognition by Best Lawyers® is based entirely on peer review. The methodology used is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
For more information about Best Lawyers®, please visit bestlawyers.com
HABITAT FOR HUMANTIES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
On December 12, 2017 volunteers from the firm will be joining Habitat for Humanity’s Home for the Holidays project to provide deserving families a new home just in time for Christmas. Members Jon Goldfarb, Dennis Pantazis, and Sam Fisher are pictured at a groundbreaking with two of the families that will be occupying the homes. The firm is proud to be working with Habitat for Humanities on such a worthy cause.
TOM KUNSTMANN, ET AL. V. AARON RENTS, INC.
Complaint filed in Tom Kunstmann et al v Aaron Rents
Update as of October 29, 2010 – We continue to believe that the case is in a good posture. No trial date has been set as of today. If you have any questions please feel free to either e-mail or call me at the telephone number provided.
Greg Wiggins- (205) 314- 0542
$2.89 MILLION DOLLAR VERDICT AGAINST TYSON FOODS – UNPAID WAGES, FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT, UNPAID OVERTIME
On September 26, 2011, a Iowa Federal Jury awarded a verdict of $2.89 million to Plaintiffs in the case Peg Bouaphakeo, et al. v. Tyson Foods, Inc., (Case 5:07-cv-04009-JAJ), a collective action brought on behalf of approximately 3,344 production line employees against Tyson Foods, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The jury determined that Plaintiffs, who first brought the lawsuit in 2007, had proven that the time spent donning and doffing hard hats, work boots, hair nets, frocks, aprons, gloves, whites and ear plugs is “work” within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act and that the Plaintiffs were entitled to compensation for the donning and doffing (putting on and taking offing) activities.
Wiggins, Childs, Quinn, & Pantazis LLC, (hereinafter “WCQP”), along with Michael Hamilton of Provost Umphrey, LLP; Roger Doolittle; Brian P. McCafferty of Kenney McCafferty; and Jay Smith of Smith & McElwain tried the two-week trial in September 2011. Presently, pending before the Court is a Plaintiff’s Motion to include Liquidated Damages in the Final Judgment, meaning doubling the jury’s award of backpay to a total judgment of $5,785,757.40.
$5 MILLION DOLLAR JUDGMENT AGAINST TYSON FOODS INC. -UNPAID WAGES, UNPAID OVERTIME, DONNING & DOFFING
A federal judge has ordered Tyson Foods to pay nearly $5 million in damages because the meatpacker failed to compensate workers at its Dakota City beef plant while they put on and took off protective clothing.
You can find out more at
Tyson workers, State of Nebraska awarded Millions (Journal Star)
Tyson ordered to pay $5M in don-doff lawsuit (MeatPoultry.com)
Tyson Foods On Hook For $5M In Don-Doff Class Action (Law360.com) (subscribtion required)
LAFLEUR, MARINA, ET AL. V. DOLLAR TREE – MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDERS
$19 MILLION DOLLAR JUDGMENT AGAINST TYSON FOODS, INC. – UNPAID WAGES, UNPAID OVERTIME, DONNING & DOFFING FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT
A Nebraska Federal Judge on Thursday entered a $19 million judgment against Tyson Foods Inc. in a class action brought by meat processing-line workers who said the company didn’t pay them for time spent donning and doffing protective gear, finally settling a dispute over damages in the case. U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon entered final judgment in favor of the plaintiffs following a bench trial in January 2013. The judge found that $6.3 million in overtime pay was sufficient for plaintiffs’ compensatory damages, which were then added to $12.5 million in liquidated damages already decided in May for a total award of $18.8 million.
Represented at trial by Robert L. Wiggins and Candis McGowan
OIL COMPANIES DOUBLE DIP FOR POLLUTING GROUNDWATER
Dennis Pantazis and other attorneys from the firm are involved in lawsuits against major oil companies in numerous states for “double-dipping” when collecting monies from states and secretly from insurance companies for the same tank cleanups. Attorneys at Wiggins, Child, Quinn and Pantazis are experienced in civil suits stemming from ground water contamination by oil companies leaky fuel storage tanks and pipelines. Learn more..(source: Reuters)
EMPLOYMENT
Fair Labor Standards Act, Wage and Hour, Unpaid Wages, Unpaid Overtime,
$50,000,00.00 Jury Verdict for Class of 1,400 – Misclassification of Store Managers as exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (Learn More. . . )
Represented at trial by Bob Wiggins, Greg Wiggins, Kevin Jent, and Rocco Calamusa
WOMACK V. DOLLAR GENERAL, INC., (2013)
Title VII, Equal Pay, Lilly Ledbetter Act, Gender Pay Discrimination
Amicable resolution for a Class of 35 – Female Store Managers being paid less than male Store Managers. (Learn More. . . )
Represented by Greg Wiggins, Bob Wiggins, Rocco Calamusa and Kevin Jent
(2013)