Employment-related disputes could mean legal action in Colorado

On Behalf of | Oct 28, 2016 | Employment Disputes

It is not uncommon for issues to arise among employees and employers, but in some cases, those problems could be significant. Colorado residents may be interested in employment\-related disputes involving multiple motion picture animation studios. Reports indicated that a class-action lawsuit had been filed with three plaintiffs acting as representatives for the class. Apparently, the individuals claimed that the studios had worked together in order to keep the salaries for employees “artificially low,” which the individuals consider wage theft.

In addition to the alleged wage agreements, the studios also made an agreement not to steal employees from the other companies. This reported agreement led to an unfair competition claim in the lawsuit. Reports also stated that this particular suit resulted after the president of Pixar Animation Studios testified as part of a related case and investigation. The previous case resulted in a $415 million settlement.

This report indicated that the class-action suit has also had a settlement proposed by DreamWorks, one of the named animation studios. The studio reportedly agreed to a settlement of $50 million, and that agreement is awaiting court approval. Other studios had previously reached settlement offers bringing the total to $69 million. It was noted that DreamWorks denied that the purported wrongdoing took place and hopes to settle in an attempt to avoid court expenses.

As this case shows, numerous employees could be negatively affected by unjust actions on the part of their employers. As a result, Colorado residents who believe that they are being unfairly treated may wish to look into their legal options for handling employment-related disputes. Experienced attorneys can provide accurate information that could help interested parties plan their next steps.

Source: cartoonbrew.com, “Dreamworks Offers $50 Million Settlement in Animation Wage-Theft Lawsuit“, Brian Gabriel, Oct. 18, 2016