Philadelphia Employment Lawyers: Class-Action Settlement for Wage Underpayment

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On February 11, 2016 the Middle District of Pennsylvania approved a $320,000 class action settlement against meat packer, Vantage Foods Inc. Workers at the meat packaging plant brought suit against their employer for not paying workers for all of the tasks they performed. More Precisely, the complaint alleged that employees were not paid for time spent preparing for their shifts nor for time spent after their shifts when they were required to clean off, remove their gear, and place it in storage. The suit was brought under the Fair Labor and Standards Act (FLSA), which regulates employment standards, including minimum wages and overtime pay.

Vantage alleged that employees were being sufficiently compensated for any time it took to do those tasks, even though the company eventually agreed to settle. In settling the case, Vantage denied committing any employment law violations or wrongdoing with the class-action suit. The workers will receive additional pay calculated in minutes, over a period of almost 2 years.

For more information, call Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Business Lawyer in Philadelphia: Ex-Employee Alleges Wrongful Conduct in Counterclaim

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Lawing Financial has accused a former employee of conspiring with a co-worker to steal trade secrets, then opening up a competing business. According to Lawing Financial’s lawsuit, the defendant initially helped the company establish its business. Then, he and his co-worker allegedly conspired to steal trade secrets, including client lists, from the firm before resigning without notice to immediately open a competing business. He had been employed by the company for seven years before resigning.

The defendant has denied all accusations of wrongdoing and filed a counterclaim, alleging that he left the company because, among other things, he was not paid compensation he was entitled to. He is also suing Lawing Financial for defamation of character, libel, slander and tortious interference of contracts.

Philadelphia Business Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green Pursue Compensation for Those Victimized by Wrongful Acts and Business Torts

If you are in need of a business lawyer in Philadelphia, the team at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green has extensive experience in business tort litigation, including copyright or trademark infringement, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition and misappropriation of confidential information. To schedule a consultation, call us at 215-574-0600 or fill out our online contact form today. With offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, we represent businesses throughout Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

Philadelphia Business Lawyers: Insurance Claims

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Pennsylvania Federal Court Rules Insurance Claims Files are Discoverable and Not Subject to the Work-Product Doctrine

In Smith v Progressive Specialty Insurance Company, the Western District of Pennsylvania ruled that an insurer’s claims file can be discoverable in a bad faith case, as information in that file on the insurer’s decision to deny the claim is “relevant or could lead to potentially relevant information.” The Court ordered Progressive to produce all relevant documents from its claim file prepared before it could be reasonably anticipated that the claim would be litigated, finding that the work-product doctrine did not apply.

The Court acknowledged that not everything “prepared by or for the agents of an insurer” is protected by the work product doctrine, and that the doctrine only protects documents prepared in anticipation of litigation. Here, the insurer argued that litigation was anticipated as soon as the insured asserted an underinsured motorist claim. The
Court disagreed, and found that the insurer could not have reasonably anticipated litigation until the insurer’s position and the insured’s position as to the extent of the insured’s damages and lost wages came to “loggerheads.” Accordingly, documents prepared before that time fell outside the scope of the work product

For more information, call Philadelphia business lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Philadelphia Wrongful Termination Lawyers: Doctor’s Case May Proceed

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On February 24, 2016 the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled to allow Plaintiff, Dr. Muhamad Aly Rifai, to move forward on his claims for breach of contract and wrongful termination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In Rifai v. CMS Medical Care Corporation, et al., Plaintiff alleges that Defendant CMS hired him in May 2011 for a three-year term of employment, which was subsequently renewed a year later. The employment contract provided that either Plaintiff or CMS could terminate the agreement by giving the other party at least 120 days’ notice of the intent to terminate, or CMS could terminate immediately for cause.

Plaintiff alleges that on January 2, 2013, Plaintiff was given 120 days’ notice that he would be terminated on May 7, 2013. However, Plaintiff alleged that only five days later he was terminated for cause, effective May 7, 2013. Plaintiff thereafter filed suit, claiming Defendants fired him due to his Syrian ethnic background, Islamic religious beliefs, and the perception that he was mentally disabled. The Eastern District ruled that Plaintiff plead sufficient facts to allege breach of contract and a claim under the ADA.

The Court ruled that it found “that plaintiff sets forth sufficient facts to demonstrate that defendants regarded him as having an impairment,” specifically noting how Rifai’s complaint explained that at the time of his termination, defendants told various employees Rifai suffered from a mental impairment and was mentally unstable, unable to safely perform his medical duties.

For more information, call Philadelphia wrongful termination lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Philadelphia Business Lawyers: Statue of Limitations for Bad Faith Claim

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Statute of Limitations for Bad Faith Claim Triggers After Failure to Investigate Same Claim After Denial, When Insurer is Provided With New Information

In Rancosky v. Washington National Insurance Company, the Superior Court addressed the issue of whether the statute of limitations for bad faith claims restarts after an insurance company fails to investigate a claim after receiving new information. In Rancosky, the Court ruled that the insured’s bad faith claim fell within the two-year statute of limitations based upon poor investigative practices. .

The trial court effectively ruled that a bad faith plaintiff must establish the insurer had a motive of self-interest or ill will. While the trial court had ruled that self-interest or ill will were considered in weighing the first element, absence of a reasonable basis, the Superior Court found this was merely a back door ruling that self-interest or ill will were required elements to establish the claim. The Superior Court observed that “there is an important distinction between an initial act of alleged bad faith conduct and later independent and separate acts of such conduct.”  It ruled that: “When a plaintiff alleges a subsequent and separately actionable instance of bad faith, distinct from and unrelated to the initial denial of coverage, a new limitations period begins to run from the later act of bad faith.” Thus, “[a]n inadequate investigation is a separate and independent injury to the insured.”

For more information, call Philadelphia business lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers: White House Announces Revisions to EEOC Form

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President Obama announced that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will begin to collect expanded information on pay data and hours worked from employers with 100 employees or more completing the annual EEO-1 form. There has been an array of action taken place during President Obama’s administration such as increasing minimum wage for employees of federal contactors, creating new protections for LGBT workers, and mandatory paid sick leave.

The EEO-1 is an annual survey completed by most federal contactors that requires employers to provide demographic and categorical information such as sex and race. The gathered data will be used to investigate discrimination complaints, identify pay discrepancies and uncover discriminatory practices. The Commission also intended to aggregate and publish the data in order to give employers an opportunity to evaluate their practices and ensure compliance.

For more information, call Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Philadelphia Bad Faith Lawyers: Bad Faith Claim Denied After Court Finds No Coverage for Third Party Negligence

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In Rogers v. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania affirmed the dismissal of bad faith claims asserted against Allstate. Finding that the insured’s auto insurance comprehensive clause did not cover negligent or poor workmanship repairs by a third-party repair shop, the claim was dismissed.

The insured was involved in a collision, and permitted an unsolicited tow truck to transport her car to Collisionworks for repairs and she agreed to complete the repairs for the cost proposed in the adjuster’s estimate directly to Allstate, who then paid Collisionworks. After the car owner noticed issues with the vehicle, she filed a claim with Allstate for the car’s condition, which was denied by Allstate. Allstate claimed that the company does not provide comprehensive coverage for loss caused by negligent repairs.

After the denial the insured filed suit against Allstate and Collisionworks. The trial court sustained Allstate’s preliminary objections and dismissed the woman’s claims of breach of contract, negligence, violation of Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, and bad faith with prejudice. After reviewing the policy, the Court concluded that only certain categories of harm were subject to coverage, including: 1) weather-related risks, 2) Civil unrest risks, 3) Criminal Acts, and 4) falling objects. The Court stated that the insured’s claim, as pled, can only be characterized as faulty or negligent workmanship, and not a criminal act.

For more information, call Philadelphia bad faith lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Philadelphia Business Lawyers: Class Action Lawsuit for Unsolicited Text Messages

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Advertising firm, Campbell-Ewald, sent unsolicited text messages on behalf of the U.S. Navy to approximately 100,000 people, stating: “Destined for something big? Do it in the Navy.” These messages were sent as part of an ongoing recruitment drive. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently ruled against Campbell-Ewald, despite arguments that the advertising firm’s settlement offer to class action members would have resolved the case.

The class action plaintiffs claim that the company violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act by sending the unsolicited text messages. The company argued that because it had offered to pay plaintiffs the maximum amount available under law to settle the claims, that the Court had no grounds to hear the case. Campbell-Ewald had offered to settle for $1,500 for each violation of the Act.

The Supreme Court upheld the September 2014 decision of the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court’s six-three decision was issued in favor of the plaintiffs, led by class action lead plaintiff Jose Gomez. Writing on behalf of the majority, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg indicated that an unaccepted settlement offer does not moot a plaintiff’s case. The Court’s opinion is docketed Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 14-857.

In the current Supreme Court term, there are three class action appeals on the docket. The other cases involve appeals filed by Tyson Foods, Inc. and Spokeo, Inc. Campbell-Ewald is a large Detroit-based advertising agency that is a subsidiary of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc.

The U.S. Navy was not named as a defendant in this case and is not being sued with respect to this incident. The Obama administration has filed an amicus brief in favor of Gomez and the other class action plaintiffs.

Philadelphia Business Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green Represent Individuals in Class Action Lawsuits

In a class action lawsuit, large numbers of individuals who have suffered a similar harm can harness the power of their numbers to effectively seek justice against a large corporation. When an individual suffers a nominal harm, such as receiving an unsolicited text message, there is no incentive to file a lawsuit due to the high cost-benefit ratio. But when plaintiffs unite, class actions are an effective means to hold corporations responsible for their harmful conduct.

Philadelphia business lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green represent clients in class actions throughout Philadelphia and South Jersey. Our offices are conveniently located in Center City Philadelphia. To schedule a consultation, call us at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Philadelphia Litigation Lawyer: How To Help Your Lawyer Win Your Case

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By Gary Green, Managing Partner at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C., [email protected]

The client is not just a passenger in a lawsuit. Instead, the client should be a combination of co-pilot and Air Traffic Control. Your lawyer needs your help.

1.  Write A Story About Your Case

You know what happened. Judges and juries will transform the evidence they hear at trial into a story. Therefore, you can get a head start by putting the facts together in the same way a novelist would write about the case. You can use chronological order and create a narrative that starts at the beginning. In some cases, the personalities and relationships of the parties and witnesses are more important. Whatever you select, write out everything you can think of. Eliminate all duplication to allow your lawyer to digest your story. Keep a copy and update your story as you learn or understand new things. Do not be afraid to throw out the story and start over if the mode you picked (e.g., chronological) turns out to be less effective than another (e.g., personal relationships). When you have your testimony taken, your story will help you keep the facts in perspective to the issues in the case. Also, your narrative will be a road-map for your lawyer when he cross examines your adversaries and plans for the evidence needed for you to win.

2.  Do Not Be Afraid To Be Honest

Many people make the mistake of thinking that if their case does not have a perfect set of facts they cannot win. However, judges and juries know life is flawed like genuine leather and a case that looks perfect is treated like a cheap, plastic imitation of the truth. Your lawyer will be planning your case around what you tell him. If you do not tell him the truth, he will get stuck on a detour. Think of telling an ambulance driver directions on where it should pick up a sick loved one. You surely would be as accurate as possible; and your communications with your lawyer must be just as careful and accurate

3.  Organize Your Emails And Papers

In modern trials, email and documents often dominate the case. Do not shirk the work of diligently searching all of your computers and phones for email and text messages; and similarly, locate every paper document. These things will be like bullets in your lawyer’s gun on the one hand, and will give him a plan of how to avoid traps.

For more information, call Philadelphia business lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.

Philadelphia Business Lawyer: Monster Energy Settles Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

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Monster Beverage Corp. (Monster) recently settled a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by the Beastie Boys. The claim arose after Monster released a four-minute long commercial for a Canadian snowboarding competition. The video featured five Beastie Boys’ tracks without the group’s permission. The Beastie Boys then filed a lawsuit, asserting that the commercial use of their songs lead the public to think that they had endorsed the company’s energy drink, Monster Energy, when they did not.

The band won the lawsuit on its merits and were subsequently awarded $1.7 million plus an additional $667,000 in legal fees. However, Monster appealed on grounds that the award was unreasonably high. The Beastie Boys settled the case with Monster before the appeal was adjudicated for an undisclosed amount.

Philadelphia Business Litigation Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green Represent Victims of Copyright Infringement

At Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, our experienced team of Philadelphia business litigation lawyers handle all types of legal matters, including claims of trademark and copyright infringement. If you believe your business is the victim of copyright infringement, contact us at 215-574-0600 or fill out our online contact form today.