#1 Ozempic Linked to Muscle and Bone LossWashington, DC - “'You've got the shrinks!' cried Mr Twit.” Roald Dahl’s "The Twits" tells the story of a deliciously dreadful old couple who torment each other (and their pet monkeys) with malicious pranks, including one where Mr. Twit gaslights his wife into believing that she’s shrinking.
#2 Apple Proposes $95 million to Settle Siri SnoopingOakland, CA - Apple has filed in federal court a proposed $95 million payout to settle claims that Siri—Apple’s digital assistant— recorded owners' conversations without consent (after they activated Siri unintentionally) and allowed third-party contractors—such as advertisers—to listen in. The settlement could include anyone who owned a Siri-equipped device, such as the iPhone and Apple watch. Reuters reported that the class period began when Siri incorporated the "Hey, Siri" feature that allegedly led to the unauthorized recordings.
#3 Mastercard Proposes $26M to Resolve Discrimination LawsuitNew York City, NY - Mastercard has agreed to pay $26 million to resolve a proposed discrimination class action lawsuit. If approved by a federal judge, the settlement will affect about 7,500 Black, Hispanic and female workers nationwide, starting in 2016, who claimed they were systematically underpaid by the card network.
#4 Exactech Files BankruptcySanta Clara, CA - Exactech has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The medical device manufacturer will sell its assets to investors due to "unsustainable liabilities associated with knee and hip litigation related to the packaging recalls we voluntarily initiated between 2021 and 2022.” However, lawyers advise plaintiffs who have filed defective Exactech knee and hip implants not to panic because insurance and assets are available to victims in bankruptcy.
#5 Eaton Wildfire LawsuitsLos Angeles, CA - As experts and attorneys are beginning to investigate the cause, or causes, of the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, they are focusing on a Southern California Edison electrical transmission tower as a possible cause of the Eaton fire. SoCal Edison has already been hit with wildfire lawsuits and attorney Wayne McClean has handled numerous fire cases. “Word is out that the wildfires were caused by Edison’s faulty wires, and we want to make sure that Southern California Edison [SCE] does the right thing, that it takes responsibility,” says McClean, who practices personal injury law and also represents people with cases against utility companies.
#6 Staples Hit with Another Overtime Lawsuit San Francisco, CA - Staples has been hit with yet another unpaid overtime lawsuit in California federal court. According to this latest proposed class action, nonexempt employees were forced to work through meal and rest breaks without compensation. But minutes add up, as the office supply chain knows from previous wage theft lawsuits it eventually settled.
#7 Delta Airlines Settles with Flight Attendants for $16MLos Angeles, CA - After almost a decade, Delta Airlines has reached an agreement with its flight attendants. The workers told a California federal judge that a nearly $16 million settlement, which will end their California Labor Code and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims, should be approved because that amount will give California-based Delta flight attendants almost full reimbursement.
#8 Dempsey v. Verizon Communications: A Deep Dive into Pension Risk Transfer LawsuitsNew York, NY - On December 30, three former employees of Verizon Communications filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 56,000 Verizon Communications, Inc. retirees who formerly participated in either the Verizon Management Pension Plan or the Verizon Pension Plan for Associates. The breach of fiduciary duty ERISA lawsuit is the newest in a series of pension risk transfer litigation – a new twist on a familiar story because it involves old-fashioned defined benefit pension plans rather than 401k plans.
#9 Apple Faces Unequal Pay LawsuitLos Angeles, CA - A former Apple executive has filed a California labor complaint against Apple and Jay Blahnik, the company's vice president of fitness technologies. Mandana Mofidi accuses Apple of retaliation after she reported sexual harassment and raised concerns about receiving less pay than her male colleagues.
#10 Walgreens Settles Call Center Workers' Unpaid OT SuitChicago, IL - A lawsuit filed in late 2021 by former Walgreeens call center workers has been settled. The plaintiffs claimed they, and other customer service representatives, were required to work without compensation before and after their shifts, such as starting up and logging into computer systems. Working off-the-clock is in violation of state and federal wage laws.
