RTX Wage and Hour Class Action Settlement Approved for $19.9M

Employees in California have secured preliminary approval of a substantial $19.9 million settlement with subsidiaries of aerospace and defense giant RTX Corp., resolving allegations regarding wage and hour violations.

The Case: Nathaniel Morgan v. Rohr Inc. et al.

The Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

The Case No.: 3:20-cv-00574

The Plaintiff: Nathaniel Morgan v. Rohr Inc. et al.

Nathaniel Morgan, a former employee of Rohr Inc., initiated this class-action lawsuit, later joined by plaintiffs Michael Bevan and Antonee Harris. Morgan alleged the company consistently violated labor laws associated with meal periods/rest breaks, overtime compensation, minimum wages, accurate wage statements, and reimbursement for necessary business expenses. The plaintiffs represented a broader class of approximately 1,755 non-exempt union employees.

The Defendant: Nathaniel Morgan v. Rohr Inc. et al.

The defendants in this case include Rohr Inc., Hamilton Sundstrand Corp. (or Collins Aerospace), and their parent company RTX Corp., formerly United Technologies Corp. before its merger with Raytheon. Rohr Inc., responsible for the entire settlement payout, faced allegations of systematically breaching California labor laws by inadequately compensating employees and neglecting mandated employment standards.

The Case: Nathaniel Morgan v. Rohr Inc. et al.

The case was filed in March 2019 in California state court but was later moved to federal court. The lawsuit underwent extensive litigation (multiple rounds of discovery, document production, and depositions, including more than 30 witnesses). The case also required significant employment data analysis. Federal Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel granted preliminary approval for a $19.9 million settlement after deeming it fair and reasonable (especially considering the risks of ongoing litigation). Initially, a trial was scheduled for June 2024. However, the parties resolved the complaint in settlement discussions before the case could go to trial. Under the settlement, $500,000 will address claims under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), and $100,000 is specifically allocated to collective claims under FLSA.

The Implications of the California Class Action Case:

California workers and employers alike should heed the implications of this case, emphasizing diligent adherence to labor laws to avoid costly disputes and settlements.

If you need to discuss filing a wage and hour complaint, contact Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced and knowledgeable employment law attorneys are ready to assist you at one of their various law firm offices in Riverside, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Chicago.