In August, PBS’s Frontline aired a story on the assisted living industry titled “Life and Death in Assisted Living,” asking questions about safety both for residents and staff, and pointing to the potential need for greater regulation. Emeritus Senior Living, the country’s largest assisted living company responded strongly to the story, rejecting the use of what it viewed as “isolated incidents” as grounds for stricter or more nationalized regulations.
Now there is news that Emeritus has settled a state court lawsuit that claimed Emeritus underpaid workers at facilities in California. The follow-up is reported by ProPublica, a nonprofit “independent newsroom” that conducts investigative journalism, often partnering with major media, including PBS on the assisted living stories. Details of the reported $2.2 million settlement are available here. In California, settlements of class actions must be approved by the court.