Opinion ID: 2844019
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Meal- and Rest-Break Claim

Text: Alcantar contends that the district court also improperly evaluated the merits in denying certification of the meal- and rest-break claim. We need not reach this issue, however, because we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that the proposed class also failed under Rule 23(b). In addition to Rule 23(a)’s four prerequisites, a proposed class must satisfy at least one of the requirements listed in Rule 23(b). Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b). Alcantar moved for certification under Rule 23(b)(3), which requires a court find that “questions of law or fact common to class members predominate over any questions affecting only individual members” and that “a class action is superior to other available methods for fairly and efficiently adjudicating the controversy.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3). The district court held that even if the class met Rule 23(a)’s prerequisites, the class would still fail under Rule 23(b)(3) because questions as to why service technicians missed their meal and rest breaks, whether because of their employer’s failure to provide them or their own choice to forgo them, would predominate 14 ALCANTAR V. HOBART SERVICE over questions common to the class. This conclusion is well within the district court’s discretion.