Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00352/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00352-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 29:0201fl FLSA: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NEAL PATAKY, JESSICA CLEEK, and 

LAUREN MICHELSON, individually, 

and on behalf of others similarly situated,

Plaintiffs,

v.

THE BRIGANTINE, INC., a California 

corporation,

Defendant.

Case No.: 3:17-cv-00352-GPC-AGS

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ 

EX PARTE MOTION FOR 

APPROVAL OF:

(1) FILING OF CERTAIN FLSA 

JOINDER NOTICES

(2) MAILING OF FLSA JOINDER 

NOTICES TO NEWLY 

DISCOVERED POTENTIAL CLASS 

MEMBERS

[ECF No. 65.]

On May 16, 2017, this Court entered an order regarding notice to FLSA class 

members requiring that Plaintiff’s counsel file all Consent to Join forms received

containing a postmark that is no later than sixty days from the initial mailing date. (Dkt 

No. 27.) Under the Court’s order all consent to join forms should have been filed by July 

31, 2017. Plaintiffs’ counsel subsequently received four additional consent forms with 

postmarks between August 1-August 3, 2017 from potential plaintiffs Israel Dominguez, 

Crystal Hogan, John Manley, and Misty Perkins (“Additional Plaintiffs”).

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On September 26, 2017, Plaintiffs filed an ex parte motion to approve the filing of 

the four August forms. (Dkt No. 65.) Defendants filed a notice of opposition to the Ex 

Parte Motion on September 26, 2017, and filed a response on September 29, 2017. (Dkt 

No. 66-67.) On September 29, 2017, the Court ordered directed plaintiffs to file a 

supplemental brief addressing the Helton factors. (Dkt No. 68). Plaintiffs filed this brief 

on October 3, 2017. (Dkt No. 69.)

I. Late Consent to Join Forms

In determining whether a late opt-in consent to join form should be deemed timely 

in an FLSA action, courts consider: (1) whether “good cause” exists for untimeliness; (2) 

prejudice to the defendant; (3) how late the consent forms were filed; (4) judicial 

economy; and (5) the remedial purposes of the FLSA. Helton v. Factor 5, Inc., No. C 10-

04927 SBA, 2014 WL 1725734, at *3 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 29, 2014). 

The Court will excuse the untimeliness of the four additional plaintiffs who sent 

consent to join forms postmarked after the July 31, 2017 deadline. Good cause exists to 

excuse the untimeliness as the delay at issue here was not due to any fault of counsel.1

Moreover, Defendants are not seriously prejudiced by the addition of only four plaintiffs 

to an existing class of 118 individuals and allowing the additional plaintiffs to join is 

consistent with a broad reading of the FLSA in favor of coverage. Kelley v. Alamo, 964 

F.2d 747, 749–750 (8th Cir. 1992) (“The FLSA ... is a remedial statute that has been 

construed liberally to apply to the furthest reaches consistent with congressional 

direction. A generous reading, in favor of those whom congress intended to benefit from 

the law, is also appropriate when considering issues of time limits and deadlines.”)

Most importantly, the Court will excuse the minor untimeliness because the 

postmarks of the late forms are dated August 1, 2, and 3, 2017, merely a few days after 

 

1 Counsel appears to have engaged in a good faith attempt to meet and confer with opposing counsel to 

submit this request as a joint motion prior to filing this ex parte motion. (Dkt. No. 65, Exs. 2-4.) 

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the July 31, 2017 deadline.2(Supp. Br. at 2.) Moreover, each additional plaintiff appears 

to have signed their consent to join form on or prior to the deadline. See (Dkt No. 65-1) 

(listing 6/10/2017, 7/27/2017, 7/31/2017, 7/31/2017 as the dates the consent to join forms 

were signed). Finally, judicial economy warrants inclusion of the additional plaintiffs in 

the current class of 118 individuals in this case. Four additional separately filed but 

substantively similar actions would not be in the interest of judicial economy. See (Supp. 

Br. at 3.)

Accordingly, the Court will excuse the minor tardiness of the additional plaintiffs. 

See In Re Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Overtime Pay Litigation, 2008 WL 4712769 at 

*2 (N.D. Cal. 2008) (rejecting a “rigid application of a ‘good cause’ standard” because it 

“does not fully respond to the various factors with which the court must concern itself” 

such as prejudice to the defendant); Helton, 2014 WL 1725734, at *4 (allowing ten tardy 

opt-in plaintiffs to join FLSA). 

The Court Orders Plaintiffs’ counsel to immediately file the four additional 

Consent to Join forms from FLSA class members: (1) Israel Dominguez; (2) Crystal 

Hogan; (3) John Manley; and (4) Misty Perkins.

II. Notice to Newly Discovered Class Members

Plaintiff also requests to send notice to newly discovered class members. 

Defendant does not oppose this motion. (Dkt No. 65 at 3.) For the reasons stated in the 

motion and based on the supporting documents, and there being no opposition by 

Defendant, THE BRIGANTINE, INC., the Court also Orders Plaintiffs’ counsel to 

commence a notice mailing within ten days, consistent with this Court’s May 16, 2017 

Order, to: (1) Gustavo Sanchez; (2) Jeffrey Yellen; (3) Fausto Rodriguez; (4) Forrest 

Gittins; and (5) Kyle Herring. Plaintiffs’ counsel shall notify Defendant’s counsel of the 

 

2 The Court recognizes that the exact phrasing in Helton is “how late the consent forms were filed.” 

Helton, 2014 WL 1725734. Since plaintiffs are requesting permission to file and have not yet filed these 

forms, the Court will consider the extent of the additional plaintiffs’ tardiness as the critical inquiry for 

this factor. 

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date this mailing begins. Plaintiffs’ counsel shall file all Consent to Join forms it receives 

containing a postmark that is no later than sixty days from the initial mailing date to these 

five individuals.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 3, 2017

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