Duane Morris Class Action Review - 2023 - Report - Page 172
The top ten settlements in government enforcement lawsuits total $403.2 million in
2022. This represented a significant increase – over a doubling - from 2021 when the
top ten settlements totaled $146.38 million.
1. $145 million – Wells Fargo Co. (DOL Sept. 12, 2022) (the defendant agreed to
settlement following an investigation which uncovered that Wells Fargo and
GreatBanc caused employees’ 401(k) plan to overpay for company stock).
2. $105 million – U.S. Virgin Islands v. Estate Of Epstein, Case No. ST-20-CV014 (V.I. Sup. Ct. Nov. 30, 2022) (settlement agreement reached with estate to
resolve claims relative to sexual abuse and order of proceeds to be distributed to
a government trust).
3. $46.5 million – State Of California, et al. v. Maplebear Inc., Case No. 372019-48731 (Cal. Super. Oct. 10, 2022) (settlement agreement reached for a
class action alleging misclassification of gig workers as independent contractors).
4. $40 million – United States ex rel. Simpson, et al. v. Bayer Corp., Case No.
05-CV-3895 (D.N.J. Sept. 2, 2022) (settlement reached to resolve allegations
that the company violated the False Claims Act over three of its drugs).
5. $20 million – New York City Department Of Consumer And Worker
Protection, et al. v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., Case No. 2018-94 (Office Of
Administrate Trials And Hearings, City Of New York Aug. 9, 2022)
(settlement agreement reached for a government enforcement action alleging
violation of the New York City Fair Workweek Law).
6. $18 million – EEOC v. Activision Blizzard, Case No. 21-CV-7682 (N.D. Cal.
Mar. 30, 2022) (approval of consent decree in EEOC lawsuit alleging sexual
harassment and pregnancy discrimination).
7. $9.3 million – U.S. Department Of Labor v. U.S. Medical Staffing, Case No.
22-CV-3540 (E.D. Penn. Sept. 26, 2022) (judgment granted in DOL lawsuit
alleging misclassification and denial of overtime compensation).
8. $8 million – EEOC v. Circle K Stores Inc. (EEOC Nov. 29, 2022) (settlement
agreement reached following EEOC investigation of alleged discrimination
against workers who were pregnant or had disabilities by not affording them
reasonable accommodations).
9. $6.4 million – United States v. Crown Of Life Care, Inc., Case No. (E.D.N.Y.
Mar. 25, 2022) (settlement agreement reached for DOL lawsuit alleging
misclassification of healthcare employees).
10.$6.3 million – U.S. Department Of Labor v. Maine Oxy-Acetylene Supply Co.,
Case No. 19-CV-176 (D. Me. Dec. 13, 2022) (settlement approval granted for
claims that the defendant violated the ERISA relative to the buy-back of an
employee stock ownership plan)
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© Duane Morris LLP 2023
Duane Morris Class Action Review – 2023
