What is a collective action and who is involved?
In a collective (or class) action lawsuit, one or more people called “Class Representatives” sue on behalf of other people who have similar claims. The people together are a “Class” or “Class Members.” The individuals who sue—and all the Class Members like them—are called the plaintiffs. The company that is sued (for example, in this lawsuit, Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare) is called the defendant. Unless each employee’s case ends up being tried separately, one Court resolves the issues for everyone in the Class—except for those people who choose not to join the Class.
