Verona, Wis.-based Epic and a group of plaintiffs can't reveal the settlement terms of a class-action lawsuit because the Supreme Court plans to hear a similar suit involving Epic, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Earlier this month, Epic and a group of plaintiffs allegedly reached a settlement in a pending class-action lawsuit regarding overtime pay. The suit was filed in February 2015 on behalf of technical writers who were not working at Epic as of April 2014. The writers allege Epic classified them as being exempt from overtime wages.
In order to close the case, U.S. District Judge William Conley requested more information regarding the settlement. He gave both parties until Jan. 24 to submit documents explaining how the dispute was settled, the settlement amount proposed for each individual and any information on attorney fees.
Yesterday, Epic attorney Noah Finkel, JD, wrote to Judge Conley that the settlement, which was signed by all the plaintiffs, was reached through four demands or counter-demands, as well as four counter-offers. Mr. Finkel also wrote that "the parties cannot reveal the financial terms of that settlement in this pleading," citing confidentiality as a "material term of that settlement, particularly because the parties are continuing to litigate what the court has referred to as the 'companion case.'"
The "companion case" the U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear involves a separate overtime pay dispute. Technical writers employed by Epic in April 2014 allege the company required them to sign arbitration agreements preventing them from pursing group claims in court.