On July 27, 2016, Judge James Donato, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California granted preliminary approval of a $1.5 million settlement on behalf of a Settlement Class of approximately 519 current and former asbestos remediation workers employed directly by P.W. Stephens Environmental, Inc. (“P.W. Stephens”) during the period April 29, 2011 through August 21, 2015. The settlement, if it wins the Court’s final approval, will resolve state and federal wage and hour claims arising from allegations that Defendant P.W. Stephens failed to pay its workers minimum and overtime wages, regular wages, and reporting time pay; failed to reimburse for business expenses; failed to provide duty-free meal periods or pay premiums for missed meal breaks; and failed to maintain accurate records and provide accurate wage statements.
A detailed notice of the settlement will be mailed to all class members; it will inform each class member as to his/her estimated share of the settlement, how to correct any of the employment information used to calculate the settlement share, and how to opt out of or object to the settlement. Class members need not submit a claim form to participate in the settlement.
The Court has scheduled a hearing to consider final approval of the settlement for 10 a.m. on December 8, 2016.