National retail store prevails in one of the country's largest wage and hour actions when federal court denies class certification involving more than 2,750 assistant managers

Client(s) National retail store

In one of the largest wage-hour class action victories in the country, Jones Day represented a national retail store in a putative statewide class action in California involving more than 2,750 assistant managers. Plaintiffs alleged violations of California's overtime and meal break laws, seeking damages exceeding $400 million. Refusing to certify the class, Judge Dale S. Fischer of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California adopted nearly all of our arguments, finding that the claims of the assistant managers were too individualized and that injunctive relief would fail to address the concerns of the majority of potential class members since they are no longer with the company. In an area of employment law seeing staggering growth over the last five years, the decision remains one of the most cited federal court opinions denying class certification. Plaintiffs appealed the denial of class certification, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted review.