#1 Over $1Billion added to J&J Talc Settlement ProposalNew Brunswick, NJ - Johnson & Johnson boosted its $9 billion proposed settlement to over $10.1 billion to resolve potentially 100,000 talc lawsuits claiming its baby powder caused ovarian and other gynecological cancers. The proposal, which will be paid over 25 years, has created a rift with plaintiffs’ lawyers, one of whom rejected previous proposals to settle the cases through bankruptcy court and now approves.
#2 NEC Infant Formula UpdateSanta Clara, CA - Sadly, another infant formula lawsuit has been lodged against Abbott Nutrition by parents of a baby who died last year allegedly from its bacteria-tainted infant formula. Cow milk-based infant formulas such as Similac and Enfamil have been linked to a dangerous and potentially deadly neonatal medical condition known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), in which bowel tissue dies.
#4 Wells Fargo Settles Disability Discrimination Suit for 22.1 millionCharlotte, NC - A former Wells Fargo Securities supervisor was awarded $22.1 million by a federal court jury in Charlotte last month. Christopher Billesdon’s disability and age discrimination lawsuit accused the San Francisco-based bank of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and wrongful discharge under North Carolina state law.
#5 Tesla’s Bid to Dismiss PAGA Lawsuit Gets Anti-SLAPPed DownOakland, CA - On August 8, the California Court of Appeal denied Tesla’s motion to dismiss a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuit brought by former Tesla employees. At its simplest, Sharonda Taylor v. Tesla, Inc. is about the workers’ struggle to access their own wage and hour records.
#6 CVS Pharmacy Faces California Labor LawsuitLos Angeles, CA - A class action lawsuit filed under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) in Los Angeles County Superior Court by a former employee claims CVS Pharmacy violated California labor laws, including failure to pay overtime, altering time keeping records and more.
#7 Lawmakers Pressure FDA to Ban Formaldehyde in Hair RelaxersSanta Clara, CA - Two lawmakers in March 2023 wrote a letter to the FDA, urging it to ban harmful chemicals in hair relaxers. Last month, those lawmakers sent another letter to the agency asking why the proposed ban is still not in place. If not in place this month, the FDA will have missed its date three times. The FDA has already missed two of its hair relaxer formaldehyde bans, and one lawmaker believes another delay could cause more health issues for communities of color.
#8 X, formerly Twitter, Get Green Light in Age Bias LawsuitSanta Clara, CA - A California federal judge has been urged to certify a proposed age discrimination collective action against X Corp, formerly Twitter, on behalf of older workers who were fired during Elon Musk’s massive layoffs in 2022.
#9 State AGs Nail $86 Million Suboxone SettlementNew York, NY - On July 26, New York Attorney General, Letitia James announced that Suboxone manufacturer Indivior had agreed in principle to pay $86 million to settle Suboxone lawsuits brought by the attorneys general of New York, Illinois, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia. The settlement was reached in coordination with 11 other states. Their dangerous drug lawsuits alleged that Indivior produced and then marketed buprenorphine-based products to dangerous prescribers who, under the guise of “medical treatment,” triggered further harm.
#10 TJ Maxx Violates California Labor Laws – AgainLos Angeles, CA - A T.J. Maxx employee claims that thousands of its California employees had to work through their rest breaks but were forced to mark otherwise on their time sheets. The retailer is facing other California labor violations stated in the proposed class action, which the retailer has a habit of repeating.
