Tuesday, October 4, 2011
This webinar is brought to you by the Hospitals and Health Systems Practice Group, and is co-sponsored by the Business Law and Governance, Healthcare Liability and Litigation, In-House Counsel, and Labor and Employment Practice Groups.
This webinar has been rescheduled from September 8, 2011, to October 4, 2011.
For several years, plaintiff-side law firms have led a campaign against hospitals, filing dozens of putative class actions asserting wage payment and meal break claims on behalf of employees across the nation. These suits have cost many hospitals millions in legal fees and settlements. Yet, in the wake of two recent landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions, healthcare employers are facing a changed landscape when it comes to class actions. On June 20, 2011, the Supreme Court issued its long-awaited and much-anticipated opinion in Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. The decision, in which the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Wal-Mart, is likely to spark dramatic changes in workplace class action litigation, as the opinion re-positions the goal posts on the playing fields of how workplace class actions are structured, defended, and litigated. Further, on April 27, 2011, the Supreme Court held in AT&T Mobility, LLC. v. Concepcion that federal law preempts state law rules banning class action waivers in arbitration agreements. The ruling raises potential opportunities for healthcare employers to minimize and manage their exposure to class action litigation. This webinar will explore the implications of these two important decisions for healthcare employers.