Rodriguez v. Manzi

Background

Israel Rodriguez brought a proposed class action individually and on behalf of others similarly situated against 6 South Broadway Corp. doing business as River City Grille and Robert Manzi. He sought unpaid minimum and overtime wages, spread-of-hours premiums, and liquidated and statutory damages under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 201 and following, and the New York Labor Law.

The parties participated in court-ordered mediation on December 21, 2021, January 11, 2022, and January 19, 2022. They reached a settlement and submitted a Settlement Agreement and Release of Claims for court review, along with a joint supporting letter and records documenting attorney time and costs. The parties also consented to the magistrate judge’s jurisdiction over the case for all purposes.

Court’s Analysis

The court applied the standard that an FLSA settlement must be a fair and reasonable compromise of disputed issues rather than an employer’s improper waiver of statutory rights. The court considered the parties’ early mediation, their three meetings with the mediator, and their effort to resolve the case before extensive discovery. It also reviewed the settlement agreement, the supporting letter, and the documentation concerning attorney fees and costs.

Ruling

Judge Judith C. McCarthy found that the settlement resulted from arms-length negotiations between capable counsel. The court concluded that the agreement’s terms, including approval of the plaintiff’s attorney fees, were a fair and reasonable resolution of the case. Accordingly, the court approved the settlement and respectfully requested that the Clerk close the case.