NEW YORK CITY — A federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York recently ruled a pair of class action unpaid overtime lawsuits against banking giant JPMorgan Chase shall be consolidated into one suit despite some of those plaintiffs signing arbitration clauses. The suit, filed separately by two assistant branch managers, alleges they are owed significant back wages for the overtime they racked up over years of working for the defendant.
The suits claimed the plaintiffs were misclassified as overtime exempt employees because their actual day-to-day job duties did not comply with federal labor and wage laws outlining who can be put on salary. Plaintiffs claim they had no power to hire, fire, or discipline employees and spent most of their time performing the same roles as many subordinate workers like greeting customers and functioning as tellers.
Since the assistant branch managers in question did not meet the qualifications for overtime exemption, they should be compensated for all the hours they put in over the 40-hour threshold for time and a half pay. In allowing the combined suits to continue, the next step in the case will be to contact potential class members so they can opt in to the suit and try to recover back wages from the defendant.
The defendant sought to limit the amount of potential claimants from the suit by insisting only other assistant branch managers who worked at the same locations as the lead plaintiffs be allowed to join. The court rejected this argument, requiring JPMorgan Chase to turn over contact information for possible claimants. With 5,500 brick and mortar JPMorgan Chase banks around the country, the class in this suit could grow to a substantial number of people.
Employers engaging in wage theft often do as much as they can to avoid taking responsibility for their unscrupulous actions, making it as difficult as possible for them to recoup their back wages. Fortunately, the law gives plaintiffs the right to retain experienced legal counsel to help them in their fight for justice.
Banking Unpaid Overtime Lawsuits
Call (855) 754-2795 or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review form on the top right of this page if you believe that your wage rights are being violated under the FLSA. Our top-rated team of unpaid wage lawyers will evaluate your situation to determine your best course of action to help you seek justice.
Our office will also determine if it is in your best interest to file a lawsuit against your employer. Because strict time limitations apply for filing these types of claims, we advise you contact our experienced unpaid overtime wage attorneys at your earliest convenience and preserve your legal rights.