Wage-and-hour lawsuits rose 5 percent year over year during the 12-month period ending March 31, tapping out at 8,126 cases filed. This is the seventh straight yearly rise, with the increase from the year 2000 standing at 438 percent, according to data from the Federal Judicial Review Center.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) lawsuits generally involve issues of unpaid overtime, minimum wage, lunch and break times, tips, off-the-clock work and other areas that relate to compensation and hours of work.

Observers of the trend say the increase is due in part to the Supreme Court's Wal-Mart decision making it more difficult to file class-action lawsuits. Thus more individual and small group legal actions are being taken.

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