News in Brief August 5 – Ford, Essure and More

California Essure Suits Moving Forward

Nearly a dozen consolidated cases involving the permanent birth control device Essure have been given the green light to move forward. California state judge Winifred Y. Smith found that certain claims contained in the lawsuits were not, as Bayer had argued, preempted by federal law. These include claims that Bayer failed to provide proper warnings to the public and the FDA, breached Essure’s warranties, and misrepresented the safety and efficacy of the device. This follows a similar ruling in Pennsylvania where a federal judge ruled that five women could move forward with at least some of their claims.

Citigroup Pays Out $2M Over Unpaid Overtime Claims

The Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that a Citigroup unit based in Florida has agreed to pay out nearly $2 million to resolve claims that it failed to properly pay certain employees overtime wages. The payout, which includes both back wages for employees and a civil penalty, follows an investigation by the DOL into claims that analysts at Citigroup Technology, Inc. were misclassified under the “administrative” exemption when they should have been non-exempt employees who earned overtime. Nearly 900 employees are expected to receive compensation for their unpaid wages.

Suit Over Eukanuba Dog Food Settles

As part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Mars Petcare U.S. Inc., the maker of Eukanuba dog food, has agreed to stop advertising that its products can help dogs live 30% longer. According to the FTC, the company could not prove such a claim, despite advertising that a decade-long study found that dogs who ate their food lived longer.

Ford Door Latch Recall Expands

Approximately 830,000 Ford vehicles have been added to a recall over potentially defective side dr latches. According to the recall, the latches are at risk of breaking and opening while the car is in motion or failing to close all together. The recall, which now extends to over a million vehicles, includes 2012 to 2015 Focus vehicles; 2013-2015 Ford Escape and C-Max vehicles; 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vans; and 2015 Mustang and Lincoln MKC vehicles. It has been reported that the door latch problem has been more prominent in warm weather states such as California, Texas and Florida.