Cerner, based in Kansas City, Mo., employs nearly 17,000 people. The health IT vendor could be facing a class action lawsuit over lack of overtime pay, according to a The Kansas City Star report.
Here are nine things to know about the lawsuit.
1. Two former Cerner employees filed a lawsuit against the company alleging Cerner miscalculated overtime pay for potentially thousands of workers, according to The Kansas City Star.
2. The lawsuit states Cerner employees consistently worked more than 40 hours per week, but were not compensated with overtime pay as mandated under state and federal law.
3. The plaintiffs' lawsuit is seeking to certify orders classifying the lack of overtime payment as willful, as well as unpaid back wages and damages for the affected employees, according to the report.
4. U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. has now certified the workers involved in the lawsuit as a class, which allows them to proceed collectively, according to a KCUR 89.3 report.
5. The federal judge's ruling does not touch on the merit's of the plaintiffs' claims, but allows the case to go forward as a class action lawsuit under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
6. Cerner has taken measures to insulate itself against employee lawsuits. Last year, the company issued an ultimatum to its workers: give up the right to sue the company or give up merit-based pay raises. Employees who gave up the right to sue have legal complaints handled through internal arbitration.
7. This agreement will not affect this case, as the lawsuit was filed before employees signed and agreed to give up the right to sue, according to the KCUR 89.3 report.
8. Cerner faced a similar overtime lawsuit in 2007, but the case did not move forward as a class action lawsuit.
9. Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Cerner for comment.