FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Workplace Fairness Receives Major Donation from Consumer Lawsuit
(July 18, 2008) -- Dworken & Bernstein Co., L.P.A., and Grange Insurance announce that a portion of settlement monies from a consumer class action lawsuit has been donated to Workplace Fairness, a national organization educating workers about their legal rights.
The 1994 consumer class action suit [Martin v. Grange Mutual Insurance Co.] alleged that consumers were incorrectly charged for uninsured motorist insurance.
"We commend Grange for working with us to use unclaimed funds for the benefit of charitable and non-profits in a broad range of areas, including help to the homeless, hunger prevention, drug and alcohol addiction prevention, fair treatment of employees, and a host of others," said plaintiff's counsel Patrick J. Perotti of Dworken & Bernstein. The parties chose 33 organizations to share in the unclaimed funds from the settlement of over $10 million, the largest class action residual fund donated to charity in history.
"We encourage attorneys around the country to provide for charitable reverter of a reasonable portion of unclaimed funds in all class suits. The practice can provide needed help to the community in a very difficult economic time," said Perotti.
Cathy Ventrell-Monsees, president of Workplace Fairness, which provides information to workers about their legal rights in the workplace, said her organization is honored to be part of the resolution of this important case. "With the residual funds, we will be able to help thousands of workers to understand, protect and strengthen their rights through our website at www.workplacefairness.org," she said.
The funds will be used to enable Workplace Fairness to resume staffed operations, with the hiring of Paula Brantner as Executive Director, and to assist in completing Workplace Fairness' program priorities, including making the organization's website fully accessible to users with disabilities.
###
For further information about Workplace Fairness, contact:
Paula Brantner, Executive Director
202-243-7660; www.workplacefairness.org
For additional information about the organizations participating in the settlement proceeds, see: