Legal Wrangling and a Near-Trial Twist
This high-stakes lawsuit nearly saw its day in court. In January 2024, just a week before trial, both parties alerted the court to an impending deal. But the battle leading up to the settlement was anything but smooth.
PPL fought tooth and nail to get the case dismissed, arguing that the workers cherry-picked funds to make their case look stronger. However, U.S. District Judge Mia R. Perez rejected PPL’s motion to dismiss in March 2024. Soon after, she also denied the company’s attempt to win a summary judgment, citing unresolved factual disputes over PPL’s oversight of the funds.
PPL’s Defense: Settlement to Avoid Prolonged Litigation
PPL, which serves 3.5 million customers across Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, maintained that it did nothing wrong. However, facing the risk of an expensive, drawn-out trial, the company chose to settle.
“We are fully confident in our plans’ design and processes and maintain there is no merit to plaintiffs’ allegations,” said Ryan Hill, PPL’s vice president of corporate communications. “This resolution avoids the burden and uncertainty of prolonged litigation.”
