Alcoa Granted Summary Judgment in Class Action Lawsuit

On September 27, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York granted summary judgment in favor of Cravath client, Alcoa Inc. The plaintiffs, current and former Alcoa employees, brought suit under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), alleging they were entitled to regular and overtime compensation for time spent changing attire and protective gear in connection with their work. Plaintiffs originally claimed to sue on behalf of a nationwide class, which would include all Alcoa employees using personal protective equipment around molten metal. During discovery, Plaintiffs abandoned their efforts to certify a nationwide class and pursued claims on behalf of only a limited class of employees at a single plant. On September 27, 2011, the Court granted Alcoa’s motion for summary judgment on all claims.

The Cravath team included partner Daniel Slifkin and associates Rebecca Rettig, Andrew M. Englander, Yelena Konanova and Michael E. Rayfield.