Furthermore, the complaint outlined a practice where nonexempt employees were obligated to engage in case and staff meetings during lunch hours, only receiving payment for a fraction of the time spent. DePietro asserted that such practices violated FLSA regulations.
A Retaliatory Twist and the Stakes Increase
As the legal saga unfolded, DePietro amended her complaint in August, introducing a retaliation claim in response to Levitt LLP’s faithless servant counterclaim. The latter, as revealed in Friday’s filing, posed a potentially ruinous financial threat exceeding half a million dollars.
“The stakes were high,” emphasized DePietro. “The settlement ensures my freedom from a substantial judgment and obviates the need for protracted legal wrangling, including discovery, motions, and a trial.”
Levitt Ends Fair Labor Standards Act Case : A Strategic Settlement
In a surprising revelation, DePietro disclosed that the proposed settlement stands at 84% of the back pay owed to her by Levitt LLP. Moreover, the $16,000 allocated for attorney fees, part of the overall settlement, falls short of the conventional lodestar calculation typically employed in legal compensation.
