Harris v. F. Schumacher & Co., LLC

Background

The case included one or more claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The parties reached a settlement on February 4, 2025, and consented to have all proceedings conducted before Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. The court required the parties to submit the settlement agreement and explain why it was fair, reasonable, and adequate.

Settlement Review

After reviewing the proposed agreement and the parties’ submission, the court found the settlement fair and reasonable based on the nature and scope of Mary Harris’s claims and the risks and expenses of continued litigation. The court also found no other concerns requiring rejection of the agreement, including concerns about overbroad releases or restrictive confidentiality provisions.

Attorney’s Fees and Costs

The settlement requested $16,507 in attorney’s fees and $477 in costs. The fees represented one-third of the settlement amount after costs and were based on a contingency-fee agreement. The court found the fee agreement reasonable, concluded that the requested fees were consistent with that agreement, and approved the fees.

The requested costs consisted of $402 in filing fees and $75 in service-of-process costs. The court found those costs reasonable.

Disposition

The court approved the settlement. It dismissed the action with prejudice and without costs except as stated in the settlement agreement. The Clerk of Court was respectfully requested to close the case.