Macas v. K.Y. Young, Inc.

Background

The plaintiffs brought the case under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a federal statute concerning wages and working hours. The order addressed scheduling and the procedure that would apply if the parties reached a settlement in principle.

Order

The court scheduled a telephonic status conference for April 29, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The court stated that the conference would be converted into a settlement-approval hearing if the parties reached a settlement in principle before the conference.

Because the case was brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the court explained that any settlement—including a proposed attorney’s fee award—would be reviewed to ensure that it was fair. If the conference became a settlement-approval hearing, the parties had to file a joint letter by April 26, 2022, explaining the basis for the proposed settlement and why it should be approved as fair and reasonable. The letter had to address any confidentiality provisions, non-disparagement provisions, or releases. It also had to address any attorney’s fee award and provide supporting documentation when appropriate, including contemporaneous time records showing each attorney’s date, hours worked, and the nature of the work. The court warned that insufficient documentation could result in rejection of the proposed fee award.

The plaintiff was required to appear at any settlement-approval hearing and, if necessary, to appear with an interpreter.

Disposition

Judge Lewis J. Liman entered an order scheduling the status conference and establishing conditional requirements for a possible settlement-approval hearing. The order did not rule on the underlying claims and did not approve a settlement.