Brett Bartlett published in the October 2007 issue of FLSA Employee Exemption Handbook

Rising Tide of Multidistrict FLSA Cases Is Met by Better-Equipped Employers

A recent surge in multidistrict wage and hour litigation has increased the risk for employers with operations in more than one state. While Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) lawsuits filed in multiple jurisdictions are on the rise, employers have also seen a rise in the number of “copycat” suits filed by attorneys who monitor court filings for FLSA actions against employers in jurisdictions where they do not practice. Some of these plaintiffs’ attorneys then file similar, if not identical, complaints against the employer in their hometown courts, far from where the original suits were filed.