Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-01932/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-01932-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 29:206 Collect Unpaid Wages

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1 A “collective action” differs from a class action insofar as each plaintiff must opt

into the suit by giving his consent in writing. McElmurry v. U.S. Bank Nat. Ass'n, 495 F.3d

1136, 2007 WL 2263880, * 1 (9th Cir. 2007). Thus, unlike a class action where an individual

becomes a member of the class, and thereby bound by any judgment in the matter, unless he

expressly opts-out, only those plaintiffs who expressly join the collective action are bound by its

results. Id.; see Ballaris v. Wacker Siltronic Corp., 370 F.3d 901, 906 n. 9 (9th Cir. 2004) (if

employees do not opt-in by filing consent to the collective action, they are not bound by the

outcome of such action and may bring a subsequent private action).

02CV2072

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EDUARDO CHAVEZ and LYNDA

DREISBACH, individually and on behalf

of a class of others similarly situated,

Plaintiffs,

v.

WIS HOLDINGS CORP., et al.,

Defendants.

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Civil No. 07-CV-1932-L(NLS)

ORDER REQUIRING

CERTIFICATES OF SERVICE FOR

NOTICES OF FILING CONSENTS

Plaintiffs in the above-captioned collective action1

 case have filed several notices of filing

of consents to become party plaintiffs under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (“FLSA”). 

Plaintiffs filed the instant action as a collective action under the FLSA, which authorizes an

employee to bring an action on behalf of himself or other employees similarly situated if an

employer has failed to pay overtime compensation. 29 U.S.C. § 216(b); McElmurry v. U.S.

Case 3:07-cv-01932-L-NLS Document 17 Filed 12/06/07 Page 1 of 3
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2 The Court notes that plaintiffs’ Notices of consent filed on October 19 [doc. #5;

October 22 [doc. #6]; October 24 [doc. #7]; October 29 [doc. #]; November 2 [doc. #11]; and

November 6, 2007 [doc. #12], were filed prior to the filing of defendants’ motion to strike or

dismiss class allegations [doc. #13]. After the filing of the motion to strike or dismiss, plaintiffs

filed two additional Notices of consents. (See docket nos. 14, 15). The docket reflects that

counsel for plaintiff was emailed and instructed to file a certificate of service with respect to the

November 20, 2007 Notice. To date, plaintiffs have not provided a certificate of service for any

of the Notices.

2 02CV2072

Bank Nat. Ass'n, 495 F.3d 1136, 2007 WL 2263880, *1 (9th Cir. 2007). When a “collective

action” is filed under § 216(b) all plaintiffs, including named plaintiffs, are required to file a

consent to suit form with the court in which the action is brought. Harkins v. Riverboat Services,

Inc., 385 F.3d 1099, 1101 (6th Cir. 2004); Bonilla v. Las Vegas Cigar Co., 61 F. Supp.2d 1129,

1133 (D. Nev. 1999). A “collective action” is not deemed commenced with respect to each

individual plaintiff until his or her consent has been filed with the Court. Harkins, 385 F.3d at

1101; Bonilla, 61 F. Supp.2d at 1133 (citing cases).

Although plaintiffs have properly filed several notices each containing multiple consents

to become a party plaintiff, plaintiffs have not served defendants with any of the notices

containing the consents.2

Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that plaintiffs shall provide a certificate of service for

each Notice of consent to suit form that has been filed in this case. IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED that failure to file a certificate of service with respect to each of the previously filed

Notices within five (5) days of the filing of this Order shall result in the Notice(s) being stricken

from the Court’s record.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: December 6, 2007

M. James Lorenz

United States District Court Judge

COPY TO: 

HON. NITA L. STORMES

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

ALL PARTIES/COUNSEL

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3 02CV2072

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