Piney v. City Of New York
- Jesse Furman
- 1:25-cv-00671
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Piney v. City Of New York, Judge Cave ordered the parties to submit materials for review of whether their Fair Labor Standards Act settlement is fair and reasonable.
The plaintiffs and defendants in the case, including the parties negotiating the FLSA settlement and their attorneys.
What happened
Piney v. City Of New York includes one or more claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a federal law governing wages and working conditions. The court required the parties to submit a joint motion about their settlement.
The parties must address the claims and defenses, the defendants’ possible financial exposure, the strengths and weaknesses of each side’s case, the settlement amount, the negotiation process, and other information relevant to whether the settlement is reasonable. They must also explain the attorney-fee arrangement and provide the settlement agreement, retainer agreement, billing records, and cost documentation.
Judge Sarah L. Cave ordered the joint filing by August 11, 2025, for review by Judge Dale E. Ho. The order does not approve or reject the settlement.
The detailed version
- Piney v. City Of New York · No. 1:25-cv-00671
- Jesse Furman
- July 11, 2025
Background
The case includes one or more claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a federal law that includes requirements concerning wages and working conditions. The opinion does not describe the specific claims, defenses, proposed settlement amount, or terms of the settlement.
Court’s Order
Because FLSA settlements require judicial review under the cited Second Circuit precedent, the court ordered the parties to file a joint letter-motion addressed to Judge Dale E. Ho. The filing must address whether the settlement is fair and reasonable.
The parties must discuss the claims and defenses, the defendants’ potential monetary exposure and the basis for calculating it, the strengths and weaknesses of the plaintiffs’ case and defendants’ defenses, and any reasons for a difference between the potential value of the plaintiffs’ claims and the settlement amount. They must also describe the litigation and negotiation process and any other facts relevant to the settlement’s reasonableness, including the possible collectability of a judgment after trial.
The joint filing must explain the attorney-fee arrangement and include any retainer agreement, information about actual attorney fees incurred, billing records, cost documentation, and a copy of the settlement agreement.
Disposition
Judge Cave ordered the parties to submit the joint letter-motion by August 11, 2025. The order requires submission of settlement materials; it does not state that the court approved or rejected the settlement.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.