UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
 

Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Overtime Litigation

On February 11, 2005, a former Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. ("Sony") employee filed a class action lawsuit against Sony, claiming that the Company has failed to comply with California labor laws that require it to pay overtime to a class of employees whose primary duties are to produce, copy, or install images designed by others into video games, using commercial or in-house software computer programs, including animators, modelers, texture artists, computer graphic artists, lighters, visual effects artists, environmental artists, and employees performing similar functions, referred to as "Image Production Employees," who worked at Sony any time from February 11, 2001 to September 25, 2007. The complaint sought statutory penalties, damages, punitive damages, restitution, and injunctive relief.

The case was settled on June 27, 2007 for $8.5 million.  Under the settlement, payments were made to a class of current and former employees from the $8.5 million settlement fund.  In addition, Sony agreed to reclassify class members with a job title of Associate Artist and Artist 1 as nonexempt employees under the wage and hours laws of California and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

If you have questions about the settlement or your right to receive overtime pay, please contact:

Thomas V. Urmy, Jr.
Todd Heyman
Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP
53 State Street, 37th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 439-3939; (800) 287-8119
turmy@shulaw.com
theyman@shulaw.com