Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_17-cv-00350/USCOURTS-caed-2_17-cv-00350-11/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Anthony Marc Mostajo
Plaintiff
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
Defendant
Elaine Quedens
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANTHONY MARC MOSTAJO, and 

ELAINE QUEDENS, on behalf of 

themselves and all others 

similarly situated,

Plaintiffs,

v.

NATIONWIDE MUTUAL INSURANCE 

COMPANY, and Does 1 through 

50, inclusive,

Defendants.

No. 2:17-cv-00350 JAM-AC

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ 

MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION

AND APPROVAL OF CLASS NOTICE, 

APPOINTMENT OF CLASS 

REPRESENTATIVES, CLASS COUNSEL, 

AND CLASS ADMINISTRATOR

On February 25, 2020, the Court held a hearing on

Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification, And Approval Of Class 

Notice, Appointment Of Class Representatives, Class Counsel, And 

Claims Administrator. Robin G. Workman of Workman Law Firm, PC, 

appeared for Plaintiffs Anthony Marc Mostajo and Elaine Quedens 

(“Plaintiffs”) and James Oh and Kathleen Barrett of Epstein, 

Becker & Green, PC appeared on behalf of Defendant Nationwide

Mutual Insurance Company (“Defendant”). 

The Court having read and considered the papers, the 

arguments of counsel, and good cause appearing therefore, orders 

as follows:

1. Plaintiffs’ Motion For Class Certification of the 

Case 2:17-cv-00350-DAD-AC Document 96 Filed 02/26/20 Page 1 of 3
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claims seeking compensation for unpaid overtime and unpaid 

accrued vacation time is GRANTED.

2. The Court finds the prerequisites for maintaining this 

action as a class action as set forth in Federal Rule of Civil 

Procedure Rule 23 are satisfied. The Court further finds as 

follows:

a. The proposed Classes as sufficiently numerous and 

it is impracticable to join all of its members;

b. Plaintiffs’ claims are typical of the claims of 

the Class Members, as are the defenses thereto;

c. The interests of the Class will be adequately 

represented by Plaintiffs and their counsel;

d. Common issues of law and fact predominate over 

individual issues; the proposed Classes are united in their 

interest with respect to proof of Nationwide’s common policies, 

practices, rules, and regulations and their effects and damages, 

if any, on Class Members; and

e. The case is manageable and a class action is a 

superior procedural device for resolution of these claims. There 

will be a substantial benefit to the courts and the affected 

parties by the creation of a judicial process within which the 

claims of many individuals can be resolved simultaneously.

3. The proposed subclasses are certified: (a) a class of 

persons employed by Nationwide as commercial lines claims 

adjusters in California in the four years preceding the original 

date of filing this lawsuit to the present; and (b) all former 

California employees employed by Nationwide in the four years 

preceding the original date of filing this lawsuit to the present 

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who accrued vacation time for which Nationwide did not pay them.

4. Plaintiffs Anthony Marc Mostajo and Elaine Quedens are 

designated and appointed as representatives for the Class.

5. The firm of Workman Law Firm, PC is designated and 

appointed as Class Counsel.

6. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that notice of this action be 

given by RG/2 Claims Administration, LLC, whom this Court 

appoints as claims administrator, to all Class Members in the 

form submitted by Plaintiff. RG/2 shall send out this notice 

within ten (10) days of receipt of the contact information for 

the class from Defendants.

7. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Defendants shall provide 

RG/2 and Class Counsel with the names, last known email 

addresses, home addresses, telephone numbers, and social security 

numbers, of Class Members within thirty (30) days of the date of 

this Order.

8. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, as of the date of this 

Order, Defendants shall refrain from engaging in any ex parte 

communications with Class Members regarding issues of this 

lawsuit without the permission of the Court. Defendants are not 

prevented from engaging in conversations occurring in the normal 

course of business with Class Members.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 25, 2020

Case 2:17-cv-00350-DAD-AC Document 96 Filed 02/26/20 Page 3 of 3