The Monday ruling, which covered three cases against three different companies, involved situations in which employees were allegedly not paid for work. But the decision has far-reaching consequences for many types of cases, including those raising racial and sexual discrimination and harassment claims.
The decision will disproportionately impact low-income workers, who often lack the financial incentive or wherewithal to file complaints on their own. The costs of going to court, for example, would typically far outstrip the amount of back pay to which a woman experiencing pay discrimination in an hourly job would be entitled.