Torres v. Patricias Morris Park Corp.

Background

Braynie​l Torres sued Patricias Morris Park Corp. and Patricia Borgognone for damages under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the federal wage-and-hour law, and the New York Labor Law. Torres brought the action individually and on behalf of others similarly situated. The parties submitted a joint request for approval of their settlement agreement, a fully executed copy of which was submitted on July 21, 2025.

Settlement Review

The court explained that it had to determine whether the FLSA settlement was fair and reasonable and resulted from arm’s-length negotiations rather than employer overreaching. The court had assisted the parties through mediation and reviewed the settlement agreement and their letter. It considered, among other things, prior proceedings, the risks and costs of continuing the case, the possible recovery, the parties’ negotiations, attorney’s fees, and the possibility of fraud or collusion.

The court noted that the agreement contained no confidentiality restrictions or non-disparagement provisions, limited the plaintiffs’ release to wage-and-hour claims, and provided attorney’s fees within a fair, reasonable, and acceptable range.

Ruling

The court found the settlement agreement fair and reasonable and approved it. Because the case was resolved by settlement, the court dismissed and discontinued it in its entirety, with prejudice, without costs or fees to any party except as provided in the settlement agreement. The court directed the Clerk of Court to terminate all motions and deadlines and close the case.