Appellate case law update

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Appellant-plaintiff Sherri Lemon, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated, appeals the trial court's order denying her motion for class certification. Lemon argues that the trial court erred by concluding that potential class members are required to submit their wage claims to the Indiana Department of Labor (DOL) before they are permitted to be members of a class action seeking penalties for the late payment of wages pursuant to the Wage Claims Act.

Conclusion (slip op. at 9):  The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Key Analysis (slip op. at 9):  We find that a claimant seeking redress pursuant to the Wage Claims Act must first submit the claim to the DOL before filing a lawsuit in court. Furthermore, the act of filing a putative class action does not enable the putative class members to subvert the statutory requirements. Finally, the putative class members are not permitted to get authority to file suit after the suit has already been filed and, in any event, the statute of limitations has expired.