Staples, Inc. has reached a global settlement in several retail wage and hour class action lawsuits related to the alleged misclassification of its assistant store managers concerning overtime pay.
Under the terms of the global settlement, which is subject to court approval, the Company has agreed to pay $42 million to resolve the allegations and avoid further distraction from litigation that has been ongoing for the past three years. The Company has also agreed to drop its appeal of a verdict against it last year in New Jersey. The amounts associated with the previous verdict will be included in the settlement amount, as will interest and class counsel’s attorney fees.
Staples says it believes that its store labour model, which is based on a commitment to fair and respectful treatment of its associates, is fully compliant with applicable state and federal law. It adds that the global settlement involves no admission of wrongdoing in connection with the allegations, which claimed that assistant store managers were misclassified as exempt from overtime pay. The settlement amount resolves claims for damages dating back as far as 2002 in some cases and covers more than 5,500 current and former associates.