A class action can be a powerful force for change, but not all claims can be brought as a class action. Even if your claim can be brought as a class action, you may be better off bringing an individual action. The way Quest Law Firm works, we analyze the alternatives and advise you which way is best for you and your goals. If we can handle it ourselves we will. If we need to bring in another law firm, we are experienced with that too.
These are some ways employment claims are brought:
- Individual Action (or Lawsuit) – Your employer has violated the law and harmed you.
- Joint Action – Your employer has violated the law and harmed you and one or more of your co-workers, and you all want to join together to hold the employer accountable.
- Representative Action – When an employer violates some laws, those laws allow one employee to pursue his or her claims for compensation and to hold the employer accountable for other employees who have been harmed, even if the other employees do not join in the lawsuit.
- Class Action – When an employer breaks the law and harms a group or class of employees, one or just a few of those employees can pursue the claims for the other employees. This differs from a representative action because there are more kinds of laws that can be enforced this way and there are more remedies available to the employees.
- If your case is appropriate to bring as a class action, Quest Law Firm works with specialized class action law firms. Quest Law Firm does not just refer you on; we are actively involved from beginning to end. We make sure you are fully informed at every stage and that you are well represented.
- Should I Opt-Out or Opt In? – Have you received a notice of a class action asking if you want to opt-in (i.e., participate), or opt-out (not participate)? We can help there too. In most cases, it is better to participate. But the more money your employer has failed to pay you, the more closely you need to look at the option of not participating in the class action, but pursuing your own claim. For example, see Pellegrino v. Robert Half International, Inc., where Quest Law Firm teamed up with another law firm to obtain a judgment from a court for six employees who opted out of a class action.