Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem has agreed to pay $850,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging the health system failed to pay employees overtime when they worked more than 40 hours per week, according to Law360.
The plaintiff and the proposed class members worked for NorthShore as patient access representatives at a call center in Skokie, Ill. The complaint alleges the patient access representatives were not paid for time spent logging into and out of software programs required to perform their jobs. The plaintiffs claimed they're owed unpaid wages for the off-the-clock work under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Illinois state wage laws.
NorthShore argued the time rounding policy in question was legal because it often worked in the patient access representatives favor. The health system further contended that time patient access representatives spent to be "call ready" was "nearly instantaneous."
The parties agreed to engage in mediation and reached a settlement in December, according to a motion seeking preliminary approval of the settlement filed Feb. 6.
NorthShore has agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve the claims of unpaid wages. The parties are seeking certification of a class that includes about 910 patient access representatives employed by NorthShore at any time from Dec. 18, 2014, to Dec. 2, 2019.