Lexmark Loses Appeal in $10 Million Class Action Lawsuit by Employees.

[jim]

Lexmark Loses Appeal in $10 Million Class Action Lawsuit by Employees.
Lexmark, a global leader in printing and imaging solutions, has been ordered to pay more than $10 million to a class of current and former employees who sued the company for violating the California Labor Code. The lawsuit alleged that Lexmark failed to pay its employees for unused vacation and personal choice days upon termination, as required by California law.

The case, Lexmark International, Inc. v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County, was filed in 2017 by four former Lexmark employees who claimed that they were not paid for their accrued vacation and personal choice days when they left the company. They also alleged that Lexmark did not provide them with accurate wage statements or pay them in a timely manner.

The plaintiffs sought to represent a class of approximately 1,000 current and former Lexmark employees who worked in California from 2012 to 2017. Lexmark opposed the class certification, arguing that the plaintiffs did not have common claims or typical injuries, and that individual issues predominated over class issues.

However, the trial court granted the class certification in 2019, finding that the plaintiffs had shown that Lexmark had a uniform policy of not paying its employees for unused vacation and personal choice days, and that this policy affected all class members in the same way. The trial court also found that the plaintiffs had presented sufficient evidence to establish Lexmark’s liability and the amount of damages for the class.

Lexmark appealed the class certification order, but the California Court of Appeal affirmed it in a unanimous decision issued on February 12, 2024. The appellate court rejected Lexmark’s arguments and agreed with the trial court that the plaintiffs had met the requirements for class certification under California law. The appellate court also upheld the trial court’s calculation of damages, which included $8.4 million in unpaid wages, $1.2 million in interest, and $600,000 in penalties.

The appellate court’s decision is a major victory for the class of Lexmark employees, who will now receive their rightful compensation for their unused vacation and personal choice days. The decision also sends a clear message to employers that they must comply with the California Labor Code and pay their employees for all accrued and vested benefits upon termination.

[Author]

February 14, 2024 at 3:31 PM