Back in 2013, a lawsuit was filed against the St. Charles Health System on allegations that it was not paying employees for mandatory training. The lawsuit, which was filed back in early 2013 by Carol Lynn Giles, “a registered nurse at what was then Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Prineville,” claimed that St. Charles “violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to reimburse Giles and other hourly nurses and respiratory therapists for mandatory training.”
Back in 2013, a lawsuit was filed against the St. Charles Health System on allegations that it was not paying employees for mandatory training. The lawsuit, which was filed back in early 2013 by Carol Lynn Giles, “a registered nurse at what was then Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Prineville,” claimed that St. Charles “violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to reimburse Giles and other hourly nurses and respiratory therapists for mandatory training.” As a result, a U.S. District Court judge recently issued a preliminary approval of a $9.5 million class-action settlement in the case.
So what does that mean for the parties involved in the case? For starters, it means that neither party has to concede “the merit of its case,” and “anyone entitled to settlement compensation will be notified” accordingly.
But what were the specific allegations that led to such a large settlement? Well, according to the lawsuit, “St. Charles failed to pay employees for training time or overtime when the training pushed their work hours past 40 hours per week or 12 hours per day.” Additionally, the lawsuit also claims that “St. Charles did not pay employees who ended their employment their final paycheck wages within the lawful time frame.”
So how many people were affected by the unpaid mandatory training? How many will receive compensation? Well, according to court documents, nearly 50 plaintiffs have been named in the case, some of which still maintain active nursing licenses, including Giles. The 50 plaintiffs all worked at one of the four hospitals managed by the health system, including “St. Charles Bend, St. Charles Redmond, St. Charles Madras (formerly Mountain View Hospital) and St. Charles Prineville (formerly Pioneer Memorial Hospital),” and Air Life of Oregon.
The settlement will account for a number of things, including “time spent in classes, completing assignments, reading and studying,” and will apply to current and former employees “who worked between Dec. 12, 2005, and the present and were required to take certifications that covered things such as basic life support, advanced life support, neonatal resuscitation, trauma evaluation and management and more.”
As it stands right now, St. Charles has yet to return calls for comments. As for how the settlement funds will be dispersed, court documents claim the settlement money will be administered by Beaverton-based Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions Inc. If anyone believes they’re entitled to or may be entitled to a portion of the settlement but didn’t receive a notice about it, simply contact Roxanne Farra, the attorney representing current and former St. Charles employees, at 541-385-3017.
Sources:
St. Charles nears settlement in $9.5 million class-action case
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