Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-05104/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-05104-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Benchmark Lending Group, Inc.
Defendant
Aaron Breeden
Plaintiff
Michael Pavelka
Plaintiff
Brian Winogradov
Plaintiff
Charles Woods
Plaintiff

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

AARON BREEDEN, MICHAEL PAVELKA,

BRIAN WINOGRADOV, CHARLES WOODS,

individuals, on their own behalf

and on behalf of all others

similarly situated,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

BENCHMARK LENDING GROUP, INC., and

DOES 1-200, inclusive,

Defendants ___________________________________

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No. 04-05104 SC

NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF CLASS ACTION

Case 3:04-cv-05104-SC Document 79 Filed 07/13/05 Page 1 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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TO ALL PERSONS WITHIN THE FOLLOWING CLASS:

CLASS: All individuals currently or

previously employed between November

12, 2000 and the present by

Benchmark as Loan Officers (however

defined, but whose duties included

making or receiving telephone calls

to/from potential loan customers). 

WHY ARE YOU RECEIVING THIS NOTICE?

On November 12, 2004, four plaintiffs, Aaron Breeden, Michael

Pavelka, Brian Winogradov, and Charles Woods, initiated an action

against Benchmark Lending Group, Inc., entitled Breeden, et al. v.

Benchmark Lending Group, Inc., Case No. C04-05104, alleging

violations of state and federal labor laws. Judge Samuel Conti of

the United States District Court for the Northern District of

California, is presiding over this case and has certified one

issue in this case as appropriate for class treatment under Rule

23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The issue that has

been certified is whether Loan Officers working at Benchmark's

Santa Rosa call center were properly classified by Benchmark as

"exempt" employees under California state law. If you are a

member of the class as defined above, you are part of this lawsuit

and will be bound by any and all judgments, rulings, or

settlements unless you "opt-out." An explanation of how to optout is included below. YOU MUST OPT-OUT BY SEPTEMBER 16, 2005, OR

YOU WILL BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CLASS. In the event that there is

a settlement, you will have another opportunity to opt-out before

being bound by the terms of that settlement. If you are a member

Case 3:04-cv-05104-SC Document 79 Filed 07/13/05 Page 2 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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of the class and desire to remain a member, you do not have to

file any document with the court. Should you remain a member of

the class, you will be represented by the attorneys for the class,

whose names are listed below. 

THE LAWSUIT

The Lawsuit alleges that Benchmark improperly classified Loan

Officers as exempt employees, entitling Loan Officers to be paid

wages and penalties for any overtime that was worked, as well as

compensation for any unpaid wages (including minimum wage). The

suit also alleges that Benchmark failed to provide meal and rest

breaks to Loan Officers, entitling Loan Officers to additional

compensation for each lunch and rest break improperly missed. 

Finally, the plaintiffs seek damages for improper deductions that

were allegedly made from Loan Officers' paychecks. Benchmark

denies all these allegations. Class certification has been

granted ONLY with respect to the question of whether Loan Officers

were properly classified as exempt employees. Even if Plaintiffs

are successful in demonstrating that they were not, in fact,

exempt, no recovery will occur until plaintiffs are able to prove

that Benchmark owes compensation for overtime actually worked,

breaks actually missed, and improper deductions actually taken. 

At this time, those questions are not being considered by the

court, and are not within the scope of the class certification. 

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Case 3:04-cv-05104-SC Document 79 Filed 07/13/05 Page 3 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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LEGAL REPRESENTATION

If you remain a member of the class without obtaining your

own counsel, you will be represented by the class representatives

Aaron Breeden, Michael Pavelka, Brian Winogradov, and Charles

Woods, through their attorneys. Those attorneys are:

BEYERS COSTIN

Peter L. Simon

Richard C. O'Hare

Steven J. Bleasdell

Stephen Perry

200 Fourth St, Suite 400

Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Telephone: 707.547.2000

Facsimile: 707.526.2746

Web: www.beyerscostin.com

You will not have to pay class counsel any attorneys fees,

costs, or expenses for their professional services, but such fees,

costs, and expenses may be awarded to them by the court out of or

in addition to any recovery made in the class action. 

OTHER MATTERS

Please do not call the court or court clerk about this

Lawsuit. You should contact your own attorney or direct any

inquiries to the attorneys for the class, listed above. 

This is only a summary of the Lawsuit. All pleadings and

documents filed in court may be reviewed or copied in the Office

of the Clerk, United States District Court, Northern District of

California, located at 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA. 

This notice has been sent merely to advise you of the pendency of

the Lawsuit and your rights with respect to the class action. 

Case 3:04-cv-05104-SC Document 79 Filed 07/13/05 Page 4 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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WHAT TO DO

If you wish to be a part of the class for the purpose of

determining whether Benchmark properly classified Loan Officers as

exempt employees, you need not do anything. You may also retain

separate counsel to pursue your claim individually while remaining

a member of the class. You may opt-out if you do not want to

participate in the action, and do not want to be bound by the

decisions in this case, whether favorable or unfavorable. Should

you opt-out, however, you will not share in any recovery obtained

by the class if the class is successful in obtaining any such

recovery.

If you do not wish to participate in this class action, check

the "no" box in the attached form and return it in the envelope

provided. You may also fax the form to 707.526.2746, but be sure

to call to confirm receipt of your fax. You must return the form

by September 16, 2005. All requests received after that date will

be ineffective, and the person sending the late request will be a

member of the class and will be bound in the same way and to the

same extent as other class members. 

//

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Case 3:04-cv-05104-SC Document 79 Filed 07/13/05 Page 5 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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FRCP 23 CLASS ACTION "OPT-OUT"

I, the undersigned, have read the accompanying Notice and

understand its contents.

No I do not want to participate in the class

action in the lawsuit known as Breeden, et al.

v. Benchmark lending Group, inc., United

States District Court, Northern District of

California, Case No. C04-05104 SC, or be bound

by any decisions or participate in any

recovery.

______________________________

Signature

______________________________

Name (printed or typed)

____________________________________________

Address

______________________________

Telephone

Case 3:04-cv-05104-SC Document 79 Filed 07/13/05 Page 6 of 6