Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_18-cv-04938/USCOURTS-cand-3_18-cv-04938-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 29:201 Fair Labor Standards Act

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

VERONICA PEREZ, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

COUNTY OF MARIN,

Defendant.

Case No. 18-cv-04938-AGT 

ORDER APPROVING COLLECTIVE 

ACTION SETTLEMENT

Re: Dkt. No. 53

The county of Marin has agreed to pay a total of $2.096 million to 39 of its social-worker 

employees to settle their Fair Labor Standards Act claims for unpaid overtime. Finding this

settlement to be fair and reasonable, the Court approves it. 

The employees fall into three categories: senior-support service workers, line-staff social 

workers, and social-service unit supervisors. Employees in the first two categories had stronger

claims, and under the settlement they will receive more than 100 percent of the overtime pay that 

they were denied (with the additional recovery reflecting potential claims for liquidated damages 

for willful conduct). See Mot. for Final Approval, ECF No. 53 at 6–8; McLachlan Decl. ¶¶ 2–3, 

ECF No. 64. Employees in the third category had weaker claims (they may have been exempt 

from overtime given their responsibilities and salaries) and will receive 50 percent of their 

estimated gross overtime. See ECF No. 53 at 6–7; McLachlan Decl. ¶¶ 4–5. These recoveries 

range from good to great and reasonably reflect the strengths of the claims and the risks of further 

litigation. 

The county has also agreed to pay $585,692 to plaintiffs’ counsel to cover their attorneys’ 

fees. Before agreeing to that amount, the county reviewed counsel’s billing records and negotiated 

what it believed was a reasonable fee award. See ECF No. 61, Raab Decl. ¶¶ 3–5. Having also

Case 3:18-cv-04938-AGT Document 65 Filed 03/20/20 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

reviewed those billing records and the declarations submitted in support of the award, see ECF 

Nos. 59–60, the Court agrees. The fee award is fair and reasonable. 

The settling parties are directed to consummate the settlement in accordance with its terms. 

All claims in this action are dismissed with prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 20, 2020

ALEX G. TSE

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:18-cv-04938-AGT Document 65 Filed 03/20/20 Page 2 of 2