The number of class-action rulings and dollar amount of settlements reached soared in 2017, according to Seyfarth Shaw's 14th annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report, and settlements reached in 2018 look likely to continue to cost employers more.

According to HRDive, not only did the number of class-action rulings hit a record, at 1,408, but wage and hour settlements alone accounted for a combined $1.2 billion out of the total of $2.72 billion.

Says the report, “[T]he events of the past year in the workplace class action world demonstrate that the array of litigation issues facing businesses are continuing to accelerate at a rapid pace while also undergoing significant change.” This is despite the “transition to new leadership in the White House in 2017,” it adds.

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