Opinion ID: 168112
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Disposition of the Case in the District Court

Text: At the close of the plaintiffs’ case, Aztec moved to dismiss the case for failure to provide a sufficient evidentiary basis upon which a reasonable jury could find for the plaintiffs. Aztec also asked the court to dismiss the plaintiffs’ willfulness claim. The district court held under advisement the motion to dismiss the case, but granted the motion to dismiss the willfulness claim, ruling that “the plaintiffs have not established that the defendant knew or show ed reckless disregard for the fact that its conduct was prohibited by the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is the requirement for willfulness.” Id. at 694. As a result, the plaintiffs were all subject to the two-year statute of limitations applicable to nonwillful violations of the FLSA. 29 U.S.C. § 255(a). Of the fifty-two plaintiffs in the class at the start of trial, only seven plaintiffs remained in the action when the defendants began presenting their case to the jury. After the close of evidence, on February 20, 2004, Aztec renewed its motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ case, which the district court denied. The case went to the jury after closing arguments on February 23, 2004. The Special V erdict Form provided to the jury asked a single question: “DID DEFENDAN T -16- A ZTEC W ELL SER VIC IN G COM PANY VIOLATE THE FAIR LABOR STA N D A RD S A CT B Y FA ILIN G TO COM PENSATE THE PLAINTIFFS FOR THEIR TRAVEL TO AND FROM THEIR W ORK SITES?” R. Vol. I at 217. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs later that same day. After the jury’s verdict in favor of the plaintiffs, the district court issued a sua sponte order on M arch 30, 2004 ruling that the plaintiffs who were drillers for Aztec were not “similarly situated” to the plaintiffs who were rig hands, and therefore dismissed them from the action. Id. at 221–225. In the same order, the court informed the parties that it would decide the issue of liquidated damages based on the evidence presented at trial, and ordered the parties to submit briefs on the issue no later than April 23, 2004. Aztec submitted a brief on the liquidated damages issue on April 23, 2004, arguing that the evidence at trial showed that any FLSA violation was a good faith mistake by Aztec. The plaintiffs failed to submit a brief on the issue of liquidated damages, although they had recently submitted a motion for reconsideration of the order dismissing the willfulness claim, which involves similar legal and factual issues. On M ay 11, 2004, the court found that liquidated damages should not be awarded because “[t]he evidence adduced at trial” showed that Aztec “made every attempt to comply with the law.” R. Vol. I at 279. The court also noted that “the Plaintiffs’ failure to comply with the Court’s order to brief this issue was persuasive as well.” Id. -17- Shortly thereafter, on M ay 24, 2004, the district court granted A ztec’s motion for judgment as a matter of law on the plaintiffs’ travel-time claim. The court found that there was no evidence “to establish that the travel time in and of itself was work for which [the plaintiffs] must be compensated.” Id. at 292. The court also found that the plaintiffs’ work-related activities while traveling were either preliminary and postliminary to the principal activity for which they are employed, or were de minimis, and hence were non-compensable. It concluded that “[t]he evidence at trial was therefore insufficient to support the jury’s verdict.” Id. at 297. The plaintiffs filed a timely notice of appeal on June 23, 2004.