Los Angeles, CA: (Mar-03-08) A class action lawsuit was brought against the Chinese Daily News, by employees who claimed that they were forced to work 12-hour days without overtime or lunch breaks. The class action was filed against the Monterey Park-based, Chinese language paper in 2004. The paper stated that the workers were professionals who were exempt from labor laws and mainly worked from home. It said that reporters came to the office once a week for a training session and they were on their own to take breaks and lunches.
In a settlement reached between the two parties, reports confirmed that US District Judge Consuelo Marshall approved that the Chinese Daily News must pay $5.19 million to 200 workers who claimed that they were forced to work 12-hour days without overtime or lunch breaks. Sources said that Marshall added penalties and interest to the $2.5 million that a federal jury in 2007 initially awarded as compensation for unpaid overtime, meal and rest breaks. [
