Litigants filed a total of 8,086 FLSA cases between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014. For comparison purposes, plaintiffs filed 7,904 FLSA cases in 2013. That is an increase of more than 16%, and not just breaching the 7,500 case mark, but also the 8,000 case mark for the first time. Note the increase in the last 10 years:  only 3,606 FLSA cases were filed in 2004. 

DOL’s decision to stop issuing FLSA opinion letters or other regular guidance have caused FLSA rules to be less clear. Also, plaintiff's lawyers now see potentially lucrative FLSA recoveries for themselves and their clients. These combined create an environment for more FLSA suits against employers.