Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-02005/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-02005-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Labor/Mgmnt. Relations

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[Proposed] Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement 

Case No. 15-CV-02005 MMC 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA – SAN FRANCISCO 

SANTIAGO RAYA on behalf of himself and 

all others similarly situated,

 Plaintiffs, 

v. 

AMAZON.COM, LLC, a Delaware Limited 

Liability Company; GOLDEN STATE FC, 

LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company 

and, DOES 1 through 10, inclusive,

 Defendants. 

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CASE NO. 15-CV-02005 MMC 

CLASS ACTION

[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING 

PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS 

ACTION SETTLEMENT, CONDITIONAL 

CERTIFICATION, APPROVAL OF CLASS 

NOTICE, AND SETTING OF FINAL 

FAIRNESS HEARING

Date: July 22, 2016 

Time: 9:00 a.m. 

Ctrm: 7, 19th Floor 

Judge: Hon. Maxine M. Chesney 

 

Complaint filed: March 18, 2015 

Trial date: None set 

Case 3:15-cv-02005-MMC Document 77 Filed 08/05/16 Page 1 of 6
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[Proposed] Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement 

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The Court, having fully reviewed the Motion for Order Granting Preliminary Approval of 

Class Action Settlement, the supporting Points and Authorities, Declarations of Class Counsel 

Isam C. Khoury and Sahag Majarian II, the Joint Stipulation of Settlement and Release (“Stipulation 

of Settlement”), Notice of Class Action Settlement and Claim Form, and the Proposed Order 

Granting Preliminary Approval, and in recognition of the Court’s duty to make a preliminary 

determination as to the reasonableness of any proposed collective action settlement and, if 

preliminarily determined to be reasonable, to ensure proper notice is provided to Class Members in 

accordance with due process requirements, and to conduct a Final Approval hearing as to the good 

faith, fairness, adequacy and reasonableness of any proposed settlement, HEREBY MAKES THE 

FOLLOWING DETERMINATIONS AND ORDERS: 

1. The Court finds, on a preliminary basis, that the Stipulation of Settlement 

incorporated in full by this reference and made a part of this Order Granting Preliminary Approval, is 

within the range of reasonableness of a settlement which could ultimately be given final approval by 

this Court. The Court notes that Defendants Amazon.com, LLC. and Golden State FC, LLC 

(“Defendants”) have agreed to pay the Maximum Settlement Amount of $600,000 in full satisfaction 

of the claims as more specifically described in the Stipulation of Settlement. 

2. The Court also finds that, on a preliminary basis, the Settlement is fair and 

reasonable to Class Members when balanced against the probable outcome of further litigation 

relating to the class action certification, liability and damages issues, and potential appeals of rulings. 

The Court further finds that significant investigation, research, litigation and formal/informal 

discovery have been conducted such that Counsel for the Parties are able to reasonably evaluate their 

respective positions. The Court further finds that settlement at this time will avoid substantial costs, 

delay and risks that would be presented by the further prosecution of the litigation, and that the 

proposed Settlement has been reached as the result of intensive, informed and non-collusive 

negotiations between the Parties. ACCORDINGLY, GOOD CAUSE APPEARING, THE MOTION 

FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT IS HEREBY GRANTED. 

3. As a part of said preliminary approval, the Court hereby accepts and incorporates 

the Parties’ Stipulation of Settlement and hereby conditionally certifies the following class of persons, 

for settlement purposes only, pursuant to the terms and conditions contained in said Stipulation of 

Case 3:15-cv-02005-MMC Document 77 Filed 08/05/16 Page 2 of 6
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[Proposed] Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement 

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Settlement: 

All persons employed by Golden State FC, LLC in California, in a Warehouse 

Associate position, at any time during the period from March 18, 2014 through 

and including the date of preliminary approval of the settlement by the Court. 

4. The Court approves and appoints Plaintiff Santiago Raya as the Class 

Representative. 

5. The Court approves and appoints Cohelan Khoury & Singer and the Law Offices 

of Sahag Majarian II as Class Counsel. 

6. The Court approves and appoints Rust Consulting, Inc. as the Claims 

Administrator to administrate the Settlement pursuant to the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement. 

7. The Court finds that the Notice of Class Action Settlement (“Notice”) and the 

Claim Form advise of the pendency of the Class Action, of the proposed Settlement, of the 

preliminary Court approval of the proposed Settlement, claim submission timing and procedures, 

objection timing and procedures, and of the Final Approval hearing date. The Court further finds that 

these documents fairly and adequately advise Class Members of the terms of the proposed Settlement 

and the rights and benefits available to Class Members thereunder, and of the Final Approval hearing 

and the right to file documentation in support of or in opposition to the Settlement and to appear in 

connection with said hearing. The Court further finds that the Notice and Claim Form clearly comport 

with all constitutional requirements including those of due process. ACCORDINGLY, GOOD 

CAUSE APPEARING, THE COURT HEREBY APPROVES (1) THE PROPOSED NOTICE 

OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT, AND (2) THE PROPOSED CLAIM FORM 

ATTACHED AS EXHIBITS TO THE STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT;

8. The Court finds that the mailing to the present and last known address of the 

members of the above-named Class constitutes an effective method of notifying Class Members of 

their rights with respect to the Class Action and Settlement. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS HEREBY 

ORDERED that: 

A. No later than twenty-one (21) calendar days after the Court grants Preliminary 

approval of the Settlement, Defendant shall forward to the appointed Claims Administrator, Rust 

Consulting, Inc., the Class Data (formatted as a Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheet) which will 

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August 5, 2016.

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August 26, 2016,

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administer

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HERETO;

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[Proposed] Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement 

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include for each Class Member the following: (1) full name; (2) last known address and telephone 

number to the extent available in Defendant’s business records; (3) social security number; and (4) 

dates of employment; 

B. No later than fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt of the Class Data, Rust 

Consulting, Inc., shall mail to each Class Member, by first class, postage pre-paid, the Notice of Class 

Action Settlement, Claim Form, and pre-printed, postage paid return envelope (collectively the 

“Notice Packet”); 

C. All mailings shall be made to the present and/or last known mailing address of 

the Class Members based on Defendant’s records, as well as addresses that may be updated and 

located by the Claims Administrator who will conduct standard address searches in cases of returned 

mail as set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement. The Court finds and so orders that the mailing of 

the Notice Packet to Class Members as set forth in this paragraph is the best means practicable by 

which to reach Class Members and is reasonable and adequate pursuant to all constitutional and 

statutory requirements including all due process requirements; and 

9. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that: 

A. On or before sixty (60) calendar days of the initial mailing of the Notice Packets 

(“Claims Period”), Claims Forms must be postmarked and mailed to the Claims Administrator; 

B. On or before sixty (60) calendar days of the initial mailing of the Notice Packets 

(“Claims Period”), Class Members who wish to challenge Defendant’s records, must submit a 

challenge in writing to the Claims Administrator; 

C. On or before sixty (60) calendar days of the initial mailing of the Notice Packets 

(“Claims Period”), Class Members who wish to “opt-out” and exclude themselves from the 

Settlement must a written Request for Exclusion from the Settlement bearing a post-mark from a date 

within the Claims Period. The Request for Exclusion must: (1) state the Class Member’s name, last 

four digits of Social Security Number, address and telephone number, (2) state that the Class Member 

requests exclusion from, or “opts out” of, the Settlement, (3) be dated, and (4) be signed by the Class 

Member. Requests for Exclusion must be made individually and cannot be made on behalf of a group 

of employees or on behalf of other Class Members; 

D. No later than fourteen (14) calendar days following the conclusion of the Claims 

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submit

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on or before November 8, 2016.

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November 8, 2016,

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[Proposed] Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement 

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Period, all Class Member Objections to the Settlement must be filed with the District Court and 

served upon all counsel of record for the Parties; 

E. No later than fourteen (14) calendar days following the conclusion of the Claims 

Period, all Class Member Notices of Intent to Appear at the Final Approval Hearing must be filed 

with the District Court and served upon all counsel of record for the Parties; and 

F. No later than twenty-eight (28) days after the conclusion of the Claims Period, or 

ten (10) days prior to the final approval hearing, whichever date is later, the Parties may file a 

response to any objections submitted by objecting Class Members. 

10. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Final Approval hearing shall be held 

before the undersigned at ____ a.m. on ___________________, 2016 in the above-entitled Court 

to consider the fairness, adequacy and reasonableness of the proposed Settlement preliminarily 

approved by this Order of Preliminary Approval, and to consider the application of Class Counsel for 

an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses, Class Representative service 

enhancement to Plaintiff, and for the Claims Administration expenses incurred. 

11. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that any Party to this case, including Class 

Members, may appear at the Final Approval hearing in person or by counsel, and may be heard to the 

extent allowed by the Court, in support of or in opposition to the Court’s determination of the good 

faith, fairness, reasonableness and adequacy of the proposed Settlement, the requested attorneys’ fees 

and litigation expenses, class representative enhancement payment and claims administration 

payment, and any Order Granting Final Approval and Judgment regarding such Settlement; provided, 

however, that no person, except Class Counsel and Counsel for Defendant, shall be heard in 

opposition to such matters unless such person has first complied with the conditions set forth in the 

Notice of Class Action Settlement which conditions are incorporated herein. 

12. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all briefs in support of the proposed 

Settlement and the Final Approval hearing shall be served and filed with the Court on or before 

_____________, 2016. 

13. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all briefs in support of Class Counsels’ 

requests for awards of attorneys’ fees and litigation costs, Class Representative Service enhancement, 

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November 8, 2016,

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December 9, 2016, 

9:00 January 6, 2017

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for appearing at the Final Approval hearing, as

December 9

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[Proposed] Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement 

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and Claims Administration expenses shall be served and filed with the Court on or before 

_______________, 2016. 

14. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that if, for any reason, the Court does not execute 

and file an Order Granting Final Approval and Judgment, or if the Effective Final Settlement Date, as 

defined by the Stipulation of Settlement, does not occur for any reason whatsoever, the Stipulation of 

Settlement and the proposed Settlement subject of this Order and all evidence and proceedings had in 

connection therewith, shall be null and void and without prejudice to the status quo ante rights of the 

Parties to the litigation as more specifically set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement. 

15. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, pending further order of this Court, all 

proceedings in this matter except those contemplated herein and in the Stipulation of Settlement are 

stayed. 

16. The Court expressly reserves the right to adjourn or continue the Final Approval 

hearing from time-to-time without further notice to the Class. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: , 2016 

The Honorable Maxine M. Chesney 

Judge of the United States District Court 

For The Northern District of California, 

San Francisco Division 

October 14

August 5

The Honorable Maxine M. Chesney

Judge of the United States District Co

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