A former Wells Fargo worker’s fight against one of America’s banking giants has reached a dramatic turning point, with a Georgia federal judge confirming a settlement in a case that blended wage disputes and family-leave retaliation into a legal storm.
Judge Confirms Case Closure
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson formally closed Malcolm Smith’s Fair Labor Standards Act and Family and Medical Leave Act suit against Wells Fargo. The closure came the same day both sides informed the court they had struck what was described as an “amicable settlement.”
But in a twist befitting a courtroom drama, Smith has since gone silent. According to filings, the plaintiff—without explanation—has cut off communication with his attorneys and has yet to sign the finalized settlement papers. Judge Johnson has given the parties until Oct. 9 to submit a joint status report, leaving the outcome dangling like a cliffhanger.
Allegations of Off-the-Clock Work
Smith’s legal battle began in April 2024. In his complaint, he alleged that Wells Fargo failed to pay him for an extra 15 to 30 minutes of work performed off the clock each day. While those minutes may seem minor, compounded over weeks and months, they painted a picture of unpaid labor hidden in the margins of corporate time sheets.
