NEW YORK – Minor league players and major league baseball teams have settled a lawsuit alleging violations of the minimum wage law.
The terms of the settlement were not filed in court on Tuesday and details were not released. Two people familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity that they were not authorized to release the details, with the parties discussing a possible तील 200 million range deal in recent weeks.
The players’ attorneys said in a statement: “We are pleased to announce that the parties to this eight-year-old case, which is subject to court approval, have reached a settlement in principle.” “We are looking forward to filing a preliminary approval document with the court and cannot comment further until then.”
The lawsuit was filed in 2014 by first baseman / outfielder Aaron Cena, the 2009 Marlins’ 10th-round pick from 2009 who retired in 2013, and two other retired players who were selected in the following rounds: Kansas City infielder Michael Liberto and San Francisco pitcher Oliver Odley. He claimed to have violated the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the state minimum wage and overtime requirements for a working week of 50 to 60 hours.
The trial is set to begin on June 1 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.
In a letter filed in court by lawyers for both sides, Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Sparrow was asked to postpone Tuesday’s conference and trial.
The letter said, “The parties are happy to inform the court that they have settled the matter in principle.” “The parties have agreed to a confidential reconciliation agreement. The settlement is subject to the approval of the parties concerned and we are in the process of preparing settlement documents.”
On this letter, on behalf of MLB, Proscure Rose’s Alice M. Pearson’s Clifford H. on behalf of Bloom and the players. Stephen M. of Pearson, Simon & Warsaw, and Corinne Tillery. It was signed by Tillary.
Sparrow wrote in a pretrial decision in March that minor leagues are year-round employees who work during the training period and that the MLB has violated Arizona state minimum wage laws and is liable to triple damages. Sparrow also ruled that the MLB did not comply with California pay statement requirements, paying a 1,882,650 penalty.
He said the minor leagues should be paid for travel time for road games in the California League and for training in Arizona and Florida.
“These are not students who have enrolled in vocational school with the understanding that they will serve without compensation, as part of the practical training required to complete the training and obtain a license,” Spero wrote.
The case was referred back to district court in 2019 by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and lawyers for the player and MLB spent several years arguing over whether to obtain class-action status.
Sparrow-ruled MLB is a joint employer with teams of minor league players; Those players “work” during spring training; Under FLSA, Florida and Arizona laws, travel time on team buses is reimbursable for away games, and the time traveled by California league players for away games is reimbursable under California law.
In 2017, players who sued were defined as having short league contracts played for at least seven days in the California League from February 7, 2010 or February 7, 2011, based on state or federal claims; Those who participated in Spring Training expanded the Spring Training Instructional League in Arizona from February 7, 2011; And those who participated in Spring Training expanded the Spring Training Instructional League in Florida from February 7, 2009.
