Melendez v. LL Floor Designs, Inc.

Background

Eddy Melendez brought this Fair Labor Standards Act case individually and on behalf of others described as similarly situated against LL Floor Designs, Inc. and Lester Lockwood. The court was informed that the case had settled.

Order

The court ordered the parties, by February 27, 2023, to take one of two steps. First, they could consent to conducting all further proceedings before Magistrate Judge Parker by completing the required consent form. The court stated that choosing not to proceed before Judge Parker would not result in adverse substantive consequences.

Second, the parties could submit a joint letter explaining why the settlement was fair and reasonable, along with supporting materials, including contemporaneous billing records for the attorney fees and costs provided for in the settlement agreement. The court advised that materials on which it relied in deciding whether the settlement was fair could be filed publicly because judicial documents are generally subject to public access.

The court also stated that it would not approve settlement agreements in which plaintiffs broadly waived unrelated or unknown claims, or were barred from making negative statements about the defendants without an exception allowing truthful statements about their experience litigating the case.

Disposition

The initial status conference set for February 3, 2023, was adjourned indefinitely. The order did not approve the settlement; instead, it required the parties to choose one of the specified next steps. Judge Ronnie Abrams signed the order.