On April 17, 2025, the federal district court for the Eastern District of Tennessee granted final approval of a $14.8 million wage and hour class action settlement. The class members worked as disability benefits specialists at Unum, processing long- and/or short-term disability claims. The workers alleged that they had been misclassified by Unum as “exempt” from federal and Maine state wage laws, resulting in unpaid overtime. As a result of the settlement, each of the 910 participating class members will be paid an average of over $10,000, with 52 class members receiving payments of more than $30,000.
Pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act, and Maine state laws, most employees are entitled to be paid time and one-half for overtime work. Workers can be exempt from these overtime requirements based on their job duties or other factors. Employers may illegally misclassify employees as overtime exempt even if their job duties do not meet the legal requirements, resulting in employees not receiving the minimum wage and overtime pay to which they are entitled.
With the $14.8 million settlement now approved by the Court, the settlement administrator will mail the settlement checks to the plaintiffs and class members in early June 2025.
The case is Loomis v. Unum Group Corp., Case No. 1:20-cv-251 (E.D. Tenn.). The plaintiffs are represented by MSE partners Molly A. Elkin and John W. Stewart.
McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP represents workers who experience a wide range of issues with their pay. If you believe your employer has not paid you correctly, please contact MSE today through our website to learn more about your rights and to schedule a consultation with an experience labor and employment attorney.
