#1 Costco Settles Excessive Fee ERISA Lawsuit for $5.1 MillionGreen Bay, WI The Eastern District of Wisconsin has approved a $5.1 million settlement in Soulek v. Costco Wholesale Corporation. The settlement brings to an end another ERISA lawsuit, which alleged that plan fiduciaries failed to manage employee retirement funds prudently, as required by ERISA.
#3 U.S. v. Academy Mortgage Corp., Episode Too-Many-to-Count, “The Whistleblower Strikes Back”San Francisco, CAThere’s a new twist in U.S. v. Academy Mortgage Corp., a whistleblower lawsuit brought by former underwriter, Gwen Thrower. In 2016, Thrower filed a claim under the False Claims Act (FCA), asserting that Academy Mortgage was making mortgage loans that did not meet established Federal Housing Authority (FHA) credit requirements. The FHA insures the mortgage and pays the lender if the homebuyer defaults on or fails to repay the loan. Only lenders that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) approves can participate in the program.
#4 Uber Misclassification Suit Finally Settles for $8.4MSan Francisco, CA A California judge last month gave his final approval in Uber’s misclassification lawsuit. About 1,322 drivers who alleged they were misclassified as contractors will share the $8.4 million settlement. The agreement resolves years of litigation in the class action, which claimed that Uber deliberately classified drivers as contractors to avoid providing certain wages and benefits required by California labor law.
#5 Zetia and/or Statins: The Good, the Bad and the UglyHalle-Wittenberg, Germany Can a drug designed to curb heart attacks also cause heart attacks in some people? Apparently, it's possible with statins or medication like Zetia when used in combination with a statin. Statins are designed to lower the "bad" cholesterol thought to be a contributing factor for heart attack and stroke, while leaving the so-called "good" cholesterol to do the good work that good cholesterol, ultimately, does.
#6 Riot Games Workers' $100M Gender Discrimination SettlementLos Angeles, CA A California judge has approved Riot Games' $100 million settlement following the California labor gender discrimination case brought before the League of Legends firm. About 1,000 women who worked for Riot are expected to receive payouts after putting up with a “men-first” environment for years.
#8 U.S. v. Academy Mortgage Corp., the Whistleblower Lawsuit that Will not DieSan Francisco, CA Academy Mortgage Corp. has asked the Northern District of California to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit brought by a former underwriter, Gwen Thrower. The lawsuit, which was initially filed in 2016, accuses Academy Mortgage of writing shaky FHA-backed mortgage loans to boost the company’s profits. In 2020, the federal government unsuccessfully sought to the lawsuit dismissed in the Ninth Circuit. In 2018, the Northern District had denied a similar motion.
#9 California College Educator Paid Below Minimum WageCerritos, CA California’s community colleges rely heavily on part-time instructors, and they also rely on cheap labor. Charles, a part-time college educator, says he was paid below minimum wage because prep time and class room set-ups aren’t billable. And he doesn’t qualify for health benefits.
#10 Seroquel Side Effects for the ElderlyPearblossom, CA Seroquel is a neuroleptic indicated for the treatment of bipolar disorder—and like most drugs carries a host of Seroquel side effects, including diabetes, tardive dyskinesia and even birth defects. However, there is a little-known use for Seroquel off-label that concerned the daughter of one Alzheimer's patient for whom she was caring.
