Month: March 2019

Status Update on Deadlines

Previously, we urged all of our clients to complete and return Declaration forms to us no later than March 25, 2019. If you have already done so, thank you! If you have not yet completed and returned the Declaration form to us, please do so as soon as possible. If we receive your completed Declaration form by April 1, 2019, we will be able to satisfy the deadlines in this case.

In the past few days, we have received a very large number of calls and emails related to this case. We are responding to each call and email in the order received. It may take a few days for us to work through this large volume of inquiries, but we are dedicated to handling every question from our clients in a timely manner. We greatly appreciate your patience during this process.

Please note that the answers to many questions can be found on this website (see below), or in the instructions letter that accompanied the Declaration form, or in the informational videos prepared by our firms (with links below).

We have filed an extension request with the Judge. The Judge indicated during our status conference last week that an order regarding our filing deadline would be forthcoming soon. We will take all steps necessary to provide the Judge with timely submissions for all our clients. As soon as the Judge issues a ruling on our motion for extension of time, we will post updated information on this website.

During the status conference last week, the Judge clearly indicated a strong desire to move the claim process forward as fast as possible, while also appreciating the logistical challenges associated with a case involving 28,000+ individual claims. Like the Judge, our ongoing pledge to you is to continue pushing the claims process forward as far as possible and as fast as possible. Please don’t be discouraged: we are closer than ever to obtaining the relief you deserve from the Postal Service!

Status Update

Following a status conference on March 20, 2019, the EEOC Administrative Judge issued an order.

USPS continues it’s stubborn opposition to providing money relief to claimants. USPS has submitted disputes to the EEOC for over 28,000 claims; to the best of our knowledge USPS has provisionally and/or partially “accepted” less than one percent of claims, and has made zero payments to any claimants.

We all recognize this behavior by USPS: deny, deny, dispute, delay, until a Judge orders otherwise. At the status conference, USPS called more plays from this old playbook. The EEOC Judge, on the other hand, has clearly demonstrated a desire to move forward as efficiently as possible. The Judge did clarify that our firms no longer serve as Class Counsel to all claimants, but that we do represent those claimants who have retained us to represent them with their claims. You can see the order by clicking here.

Status Update – CLASS COUNSEL SEEKS RECONSIDERATION

Class Counsel has asked the EEOC Administrative Judge to reconsider, or at least delay the effect of, the recently-issued Case Management Order until after the scheduled March 20, 2019 status conference. A copy of Class Counsel’s motion is available by clicking here.

Class Counsel has proposed a process based on a successful approach used in numerous large-scale class actions. As you know, the EEOC has already entered a strong finding of discrimination against the Class as a whole, and we want to ensure that the claims process provides every Class Member a fair and reasonable opportunity to obtain all relief to which they are entitled under law, as efficiently as possible. In addition, we have concerns with the Postal Service’s continuing efforts to break apart the Class and over-burden the EEOC. We all owe much of our success in this case to the unity, strength, and perseverance that the Class has shown in the face of unceasing attacks by the Postal Service for more than ten years.

We will provide an update as soon as further news is available. Please continue to monitor this website over the upcoming weeks for additional important information.