Federal court cites EI President Jonathan Walker’s testimony in Fair Labor Standards Act collective action decision.

EI President, Jonathan Walker, testified in federal court in New Orleans on behalf of Big Lots Inc. in a Fair Labor Standards Act collective action. A group of 936 assistant store managers seeking approximately $40 million to $80 million in damages alleged that Big Lots misclassified the assistant store manager position as exempt from overtime requirements. Dr. Walker addressed statistical evidence pertaining to the workers’ range of job requirements and direct economic evidence regarding Big Lots’ primary motivation for creating the assistant store manager position within its stores. After a bench trial, the district court judge decertified the class and dismissed the 934 unnamed opt-in plaintiffs’ claims.  The Court’s decision is available here.