Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-02873/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-02873-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Cherol Ockrassa
Plaintiff
Robin Thomas
Plaintiff
Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Defendant
Weight Watchers, North America, Inc.
Defendant
Grace Wood
Plaintiff
Jessica Wood
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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For the Northern District of California

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States District C

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For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CHEROL OCKRASSA, et al., on their own

behalves and on behalf of all others similarly

situated,

Plaintiffs,

 v.

 WEIGHT WATCHERS, NORTH

AMERICA, INC., et al.,

Defendants.

 /

No. C 04-02873 CRB

ORDER GRANTING PRELIMINARY

CLASS CERTIFICATION AND

SETTLEMENT APPROVAL

Plaintiffs allege that defendants violated various state and federal wage and hour laws. 

Now pending before the Court is the parties’ motion for preliminary approval of class

certification and settlement. After carefully considering the papers submitted by the parties,

as well as the terms of the settlement, the Court concludes that oral argument is unnecessary

and GRANTS the parties’ motion for the reasons set forth in the motion. 

Accordingly, the Settlement Agreement and amendment filed by the parties with the

Court is approved, and Counts Three through Seven are provisionally certified under Rule 23

as to the following class: All current and former employees of either Weight Watchers North

America, Inc. or Weight Watchers International, Inc. employed in the State of California in

the positions of Leader, Receptionist, or Location Coordinator at any time during the period

between July 15, 2000 and July 10, 2005 (the “Class Members”). Except for periods that 

Case 3:04-cv-02873-CRB Document 70 Filed 11/09/06 Page 1 of 3
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such persons held the designated positions, the Class shall not include any person holding

any other position not expressly included in the definition of the Class in this Order or in the

parties’ stipulation for settlement.

Cherol Ockrassa, Robin Thomas, Grace Wood and Jessica Wood are appointed as

Representatives of the Class, and the following attorneys are appointed as Class Counsel:

Rybicki & Blevens, LLP and Beyers Costin P.C.

Rosenthal & Company, LLC is approved as the Settlement Administrator, as chosen

by the parties. The Settlement Administrator shall comply with all responsibilities and

deadlines delineated in the parties’ Settlement Agreement.

Notice of the proposed settlement and of Class Members’ right to (i) object to the

settlement or (ii) exclude themselves from the settlement shall be distributed in the forma and

manner provided in the Settlement Agreement and as stated in Exhibits C and D to the

parties’ motion, except that, at page 3 of Exhibit C, line 1, the Notice shall read that the Court

has “tentatively approved that up to $541,192.06 . . .” (addition in italics), and at line 4 it

shall read that the “Class Representatives will be paid up to $10,000.00 . . .” (addition in

italics). The same “up to” language shall be added to paragraph VIII on page 5 of the Notice

with respect to fees and costs.

The Court tentatively approves as fees, costs and a reserve fund to be deducted from

the settlement fund an amount up to that sought by counsel in their motion. The Court also

tentatively approves payment of up to $10,000 to each Class Representative.

A hearing (the “Fairness Hearing”) shall be held on May 25, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. in

Courtroom 8 to consider whether the proposed settlement should be given final approval. 

With respect to the Fairness Hearing, the following shall apply:

a. Written objections to the proposed settlement by Class Members will be

considered if received in the form and manner provided in the Settlement

Agreement and served no later than March 13, 2007. Written argument in

support of any such objections must be filed with the Court and served on all

counsel no later than March 20, 2007.

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b. At the Fairness Hearing, Class Members may be heard orally in support of the

settlement. They may also be heard in opposition to the settlement, provided

they submitted a timely written objection by the Objection/Exclusion Deadline

Date.

c. Counsel for the parties shall be prepared at the hearing to respond to objections

filed by Class Members and to provide other information, as appropriate,

bearing on whether the settlement should receive final approval.

d. In the event the proposed settlement is approved, all Class Members who have

not properly excluded themselves from the settlement will be deemed to have

forever released and discharged the defendants to the extent provided within

the Settlement Agreement. If the proposed settlement is not finally approved,

this preliminary approval and the Settlement Agreement shall have no further

effect.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: Nov. 9, 2006

 

CHARLES R. BREYER

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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