Statistical Evidence in Employment Class Actions After Tyson Foods

Transcription

1 Presenting a live 90-minute webinar with interactive Q&A Statistical Evidence in Employment Class Actions After Tyson Foods Disputing or Leveraging Statistical Evidence in Complex Wage and Hour Litigation WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, pm Eastern 12pm Central 11am Mountain 10am Pacific Today s faculty features: Bradley J. Hamburger, Esq., Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Los Angeles Christine E. Webber, Partner, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, Washington, D.C. The audio portion of the conference may be accessed via the telephone or by using your computer's speakers. Please refer to the instructions ed to registrants for additional information. If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service at ext. 10.

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4 STATISTICS IN WAGE AND HOUR CLASS ACTIONS Christine E. Webber

5 Statistics in Wage & Hour Class & Collective Actions Statistics used for sampling discovery Statistics used to show common question exists for class cert Statistics used to show answer to common question for liability Statistics used to show damages 5

6 Representative & Statistical Evidence FLSA "collective actions" as well as cases prosecuted by the DOL traditionally relied upon "representative evidence" While some representative evidence might be statistical, that was not required for evidence to be accepted and applied to class as whole It is only recently that some courts have been applying standards for statistical analysis to the use of representative testimony, but even so, it is by no means universal 6

7 Common Statistical Issues Random sampling Descriptive statistics Time Studies Damages Tyson v. Bouaphakeo 7

8 Random Sampling in Discovery With opt-in class cases, courts will typically limit discovery to a fraction of the total class Parties have jointly agreed to random selection. See, e.g., Scott v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., --- F.R.D. ---, 2014 WL (S.D.N.Y. June 6, 2014) (Permitting discovery of 10% of opt-ins, 50% chosen by defendant, 25% chosen by plaintiff, and 25% chosen randomly). Although there is no bright line formulation or percentage threshold for determining the adequacy of representational evidence, it is well-established that the [plaintiff] may present the testimony of a representative sample of employees as part of his proof of the prima facie case under the FLSA. Courts have also ordered random selection over defendant s objections. See, e.g., Helmert v. Butterball, LLC, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS (E.D. Ark. Nov. 5, 2010); Scott v. Bimbo Bakeries, USA, Inc., No (E.D. Pa. Dec. 11, 2012) (written discovery of 10% of opt ins and 20 depositions from a representative sample of 650 opt-ins). 8

9 Random Sampling in Discovery Courts are often persuaded by statistical principles in choosing random selection as method of deciding who would respond to discovery. Nelson v. American Standard, Inc., 2009 WL at *3 (E.D. Tex. 2009) (limiting discovery to 84 selected at random from 1,328 individuals who opted into action) [T]he fundamental precept of statistics and sampling is that meaningful differences among class members can be determined from a sampling of individuals, and thus if decertification is appropriate, it will be revealed with discovery of a random sample of individuals. But not all samples have to be statistically significant so long as they are representative. Craig v. Rite Aid Corp., 4:08-CV-2317, 2011 WL (M.D. Pa. Feb. 7, 2011) (ordering 50 randomly selected opt-ins (out of 1000) respond to discovery and refusing to use Defendant s experts proposed stratified sample) We are also unpersuaded by Defendants' argument regarding their proposal for deriving a statistically significant sampling, developed by Defendants' own expert, in order to fairly conduct representative discovery of the Opt-ins. 9

10 Descriptive Statistics Can describe prevalence of a violation that can be objectively measured, i.e. 33% of shifts over six hours show no meal/rest period that was accepted as sufficient to certify meal/rest break claim in Brewer v. GNC, 2014 WL (N.D. Cal. 2014) Can be used to measure opportunities for violations i.e. showing a substantial number of shifts exceeded 10 hours (and thus requiring second meal period) combined with testimony from employees that they missed meal periods Cervantez v. Ceestica, 253 F.R.D. 562 (C.D. Cal. 2008) Can be used by Defendant to show lack of policy i.e. showing 70% of employees report OT at least some workweeks to establish there was no overwhelming pressure not to report OT. Espenscheid v. DirectSat, 2011 WL (W.D. Wis. 2011) Can be examined as to the similarity or difference of different locations/departments/etc, for example the average time spent on pre-shift activity in different departments Reed v. County of Orange, 266 F.R.D. 446 (C.D. Cal 2010) 10

11 Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics may be based on the entire universe of data, or on a sample If based on a sample, courts frequently require that be a random sample, though with varying degrees of rigor on how random is determined See, e.g. Camesi v. Univ. of Pittsburgh Med. Ctr., No. CIV.A J, 2011 WL , at *11 (W.D. Pa. Dec. 20, 2011) (striking report of defendant s expert because the sample was not random, citing R. Paetzold and S. Willborn, The Statistics of Discrimination 2:6 (2011) ( statistical inference is used... to generalize from a sample to a population, and [i]nferential statistical procedures [require] that the sample be randomly drawn from... the larger population )) 11

12 Time Studies Perez v. Mountaire Farms, Inc., 610 F. Supp. 2d 499, (D. Md. 2009) aff'd in part, vacated in part, 650 F.3d 350 (4th Cir. 2011): Dr. Radwin had a truly random sampling of participants going about their normal work day. Dr. Radwin had four videographers stationed near plant entrances simultaneously videotape employees picked by a random number generator. Videotapes were made during the various times of day and night when each shift performed donning and doffing activities and at the different locations throughout the plant where donning and doffing activities took place. The study included employees working in all shifts.... Although there was a difference between the proportion of employees on the actual payroll and employees sampled in the Debone and First Processing departments, these differences were not statistically significant. Once again there is concern about the randomness of the sample 12

13 Damages Historically, damages in FLSA cases could be awarded to non-testifying class members based on representative testimony. Anderson v. Mt. Clemens Pottery Co., 328 U.S. 680, 687 (1946) If employer failed to keep records, employees could recover upon showing the amount and extent of that work as a matter of just and reasonable inference. Id. 13

14 Damages Same principle applied in using statistical evidence, such as time studies. Perez v. Mountaire Farms, 610 F. Supp 2d 499 (D. Md. 2009), aff d in part 650 F.3d 350 (4th Cir. 2011) 14

15 Jimenez v. Allstate Supreme Court denied cert in Jimenez v. Allstate Ins. Co., 765 F.3d 1161 (9th Cir. 2014). The Ninth Circuit approved the district court s decision to certify a wage and hour class, bifurcating between liability and damages, relying on statistical evidence for the liability phase. The Ninth Circuit noted that the separate damages phase would permit the defendant to litigate individual issues, since the district court had rejected the use of sampling and representative evidence for the damages phase. (But see Tyson) 15

16 Tyson v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct Donning and doffing claims brought on behalf of collective action under FLSA as well as Rule 23 class under state law. Employer did not keep records of donning/doffing time Plaintiffs had expert conduct time study videotaping a random selection of employees to determine the amount of time at issue 16

17 Tyson v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct Supreme Court ruled 6-2 that plaintiffs could use representative statistical evidence by an expert to prove individual hours worked to fill an evidentiary gap created by the employer s failure to keep adequate records. Id. at 1039 Statistical evidence may be used for both liability and damages. Id. at 1046 (Jiminez was more restrictive than SCT required) 17

18 Tyson v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct In finding that the use of a sample was an appropriate method of proving classwide liability, the Supreme Court noted that one way to establish the sample was permissible was by showing that each class member could have relied on that sample to establish liability if he or she had brought an individual action. Id. at

19 Tyson v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct Representative evidence that is statistically inadequate or based on implausible assumptions could not lead to a fair or accurate estimate of the uncompensated hours an employee has worked. Petitioner, however, did not raise a challenge to respondents experts methodology under Daubert. Id. at

20 Tyson v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct Whether a representative sample may be used to establish classwide liability will depend on the purpose for which the sample is being introduced and on the underlying cause of action. In FLSA actions, inferring the hours an employee has worked from a study such as Mericle's has been permitted by the Court so long as the study is otherwise admissible. Mt. Clemens, supra, at 687, 66 S. Ct. 1187; see also Fed. Rules Evid. 402 and 702. Id. at

21 Statistical Evidence in Employment Class Actions After Tyson Foods Bradley J. Hamburger June 8, 2016

22 Defense Strategies for Attacking Statistical Evidence Challenge the Use of Trial By Formula Attack sampling, averaging, and extrapolation as a violation of the Rules Enabling Act and due process. Impact of Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo (2016) Focus on whether sampling would be permitted in an individual action under the governing substantive law. Challenges to Expert Testimony and Methodologies Engage in rigorous analysis of expert testimony. Comcast Corp. v. Behrend (2013) Looking Ahead Courts begin to apply Tyson Foods. 22

23 Dukes on Trial by Formula Rule 23(b)(2) class consisting of all of Wal-Mart s female employees 1.5 million class members across the nation. Plaintiffs sought backpay under Title VII as monetary relief incidental to the injunction. Whether monetary relief was incidental hinged on avoiding individualized proceedings. Proposal to replace individual Teamsters hearings with sampling and extrapolation. 23

24 The plan: Dukes on Trial by Formula A sample set of the class members would be selected, as to whom liability for sex discrimination and the backpay owing as a result would be determined in depositions supervised by a master. The percentage of claims determined to be valid would then be applied to the entire remaining class, and the number of (presumptively) valid claims thus derived would be multiplied by the average backpay award in the sample set to arrive at the entire class recovery without further individualized proceedings. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 131 S. Ct. 2541, 2561 (2011) 24

25 Dukes on Trial by Formula The Supreme Court unanimously rejects the proposal to replace individualized proceedings with sampling, averaging, and extrapolation. We disapprove that novel project. The Rules Enabling Act forbids interpreting Rule 23 to allow certification of a class on the premise that Wal-Mart will not be entitled to litigate its statutory defenses to individual claims. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 131 S. Ct. 2541, 2561 (2011) 25

26 Trial by Formula Revisited Tyson Foods Small Rule 23(b)(3) class and FLSA collective action limited to a single pork processing plant. Claims based on allegation that Tyson Foods failed to pay sufficient overtime for time spent donning and doffing protective gear. Plaintiffs relied on an expert s average based on 744 observations of donning and doffing. Another expert combined this average with payroll records to generate an aggregate damages award. 26

27 Trial by Formula Revisited Tyson Foods The Supreme Court declines to announce a broad rule regarding the use of statistical sampling: A categorical exclusion... would make little sense. Whether and when statistical evidence can be used to establish classwide liability will depend on the purpose for which the evidence is being introduced and on the elements of the underlying cause of action. Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct. 1036, 1046 (2016) 27

28 Trial by Formula Revisited Tyson Foods The Court reiterates that, while petitioner, respondents, or their respective amici may urge adoption of broad and categorical rules governing the use of representative and statistical evidence in class actions, this case provides no occasion to do so. Whether a representative sample may be used to establish classwide liability will depend on the purpose for which the sample is being introduced and on the underlying cause of action. Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct. 1036, 1049 (2016) 28

29 The Tyson Foods Framework The Rules Enabling Act requires an assessment of what would be permissible in an individual action. In a case where representative evidence is relevant in proving a plaintiff s individual claim, that evidence cannot be deemed improper merely because the claim is brought on behalf of a class. To so hold would ignore the Rules Enabling Act s pellucid instruction that use of the class device cannot abridge... any substantive right. Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct. 1036, 1046 (2016) 29

30 The Tyson Foods Framework If the sample could have sustained a reasonable jury finding as to hours worked in each employee s individual action, that sample is a permissible means of establishing the employees hours worked in a class action. Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct. 1036, 1047 (2016) 30

31 Importance of Anderson v. Mt. Clemens Why was sampling allowed in Tyson Foods? Because of the substantive rule adopted for FLSA claims in Mt. Clemens. This Court s decision in Anderson v. Mt. Clemens explains why Mericle s sample was permissible in the circumstances of this case. Mt. Clemens rule applies where employers violate their statutory duty to keep proper records, and employees thereby have no way to establish the time spent doing uncompensated work. Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct. 1036, 1047 (2016) 31

32 Tyson Foods on Dukes Since the Court held that the employees were not similarly situated, none of them could have prevailed in an individual suit by relying on depositions detailing the ways in which other employees were discriminated against by their particular store managers. By extension, if the employees had brought 1½ million individual suits, there would be little or no role for representative evidence. Permitting the use of that sample in a class action, therefore, would have violated the Rules Enabling Act by giving plaintiffs and defendants different rights in a class proceeding than they could have asserted in an individual action. Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo, 136 S. Ct. 1036, 1048 (2016) 32

33 Due Process and State Court Class Actions Dukes and Tyson focused on the federal Rules Enabling Act and did not address due process. But sampling, averaging, and extrapolation can also violate a class action defendant s right to due process. Due process requires that there be an opportunity to present every available defense. Lindsey v. Normet, 405 U.S. 56, 66 (1972) [F]undamental requisite of due process of law is the opportunity to be heard. Mullane v. Cent. HanoverBank & Tr. Co., 339 U.S. 306, 314 (1950) 33

34 Due Process and State Court Class Actions Duran v. U.S. Bank Nat l Ass n (Cal. 2014) California Supreme Court overturns verdict in misclassification case that was based on sampling and extrapolation. Recognizes defendants due process right to raise defenses beyond a sample group. The decision to extrapolate classwide liability from a small sample, and its refusal to permit any inquiries or evidence regarding class members outside the sample group, deprived [the defendant] of the ability to litigate its exemption defense. 59 Cal.4th 1, 35 (2014). 34

35 Due Process and State Court Class Actions Duran v. U.S. Bank Nat l Ass n (Cal. 2014) Under Code of Civil Procedure section 382, just as under the federal rules, a class cannot be certified on the premise that [the defendant] will not be entitled to litigate its statutory defenses to individual claims. 59 Cal.4th at 35 (quoting Dukes, 131 S. Ct. at 2561) These principles derive from both class action rules and principles of due process. 59 Cal.4th at 35 (citing Lindsey, 405 U.S. at 66) 35

36 Challenges to Expert Testimony and Methodologies Does Daubert apply at the class certification stage? The district court concluded that Daubert did not apply to expert testimony at the certification stage of class-action proceedings. We doubt that is so.... Dukes, 131 S. Ct. at In Comcast Corp. v. Behrend, the Court granted review on this issue, but did not reach it. 133 S. Ct. 1426, 1431 n.4 (2013) Tyson Foods shows the importance of preserving Daubert challenges to sampling experts. 36

37 Challenges to Expert Testimony and Methodologies Even if Daubert does not apply, defendants can still challenge expert testimony at class certification. Comcast makes clear that damages models cannot be arbitrary and must measure only those damages attributable to [the] theory plaintiffs have advanced. 133 S. Ct. at The Ninth Circuit has held that as part of the rigorous analysis required by Dukes, courts must judg[e] the persuasiveness of the evidence presented, including expert testimony. Ellis v. Costco Wholesale Corp., 657 F.3d 970 (2011) 37

38 Challenges to Expert Testimony and Methodologies California Supreme Court in Duran provided significant guidance regarding sampling methodologies. Even when statistical methods such as sampling are appropriate, due concern for the parties rights requires that they be employed with caution. Here, the process failed. The sample size was too small. The sample was not random. Large margin of error. 59 Cal.4th at

39 How will courts apply Tyson Foods? Few decisions applying Tyson Foods so far. Important opportunity for both plaintiffs and defendants to shape the law. Defendants should challenge the notion that Tyson Foods is a blanket endorsement of the use of statistical sampling in class actions. Emphasize how an individual action would be tried. Contest whether Mt. Clemens applies. 39