SCEA offers to settle lawsuit for $8.5 million

Sony Computer Entertainment America has agreed to pay a USD 8.5 million settlement to employees who claim they are owed unpaid overtime.

As reported by law firm Shapiro Harper & Urmy, SCEA's Andrew Wilson filed the suit in February 2005.

He seeks to represent a group of "Image Production Employees" - including animators, artists, modellers, visual effects and lighting specialists - who worked at the company between February 2001 and September 2007.

The lawsuit alleges that Sony "has failed to comply with California labour laws requiring it to pay overtime", and calls for "statutory penalties, damages, punitive damages, restitution and injunctive relief".

A conditional settlement has now been reached, under the terms of which current and former employees will receive payments from a USD 8.5 million fund. Sony has also agreed to reclassify class members with the job titles of associate artist and artist 1 as non-exempt employees under California's Fair Labour Standards Act.

The settlement must be approved by a court, with a hearing scheduled for September. According to SH&U, the settlement "may be rescinded if a sufficient number of class members opt out".