McKeown v. Kinney Shoe Corp.

OPINION

BURKE, Justice.

This case requires us to decide whether an employer and an employee may privately settle claims for liquidated damages arising under the Alaska Wage and Hour Act. We conclude that they may not.

I

Four individual plaintiffs brought class action wage and hour claims against Kinney Shoe Corporation. The claims were brought on behalf of six classes of past and present Kinney employees. All of the claims alleged violations of the Alaska Wage and Hour Act (AWHA), AS 23.10.-050-.150; four of the classes represented were past and present employees to whom Kinney allegedly had not…