Are absent members of an uncertified class or Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective action “parties” and thus “represented” by plaintiff’s counsel? If so, is defense counsel prohibited from speaking with absent class members? At first glance, the answer would appear to be no, for two reasons. First, “a nonnamed class member is [not] a … Continue Reading
In Espenscheid v. DirectSat USA, LLC, Case No. 12-1943 (7th Cir. Feb. 4, 2013), in a combined collective/class action asserting claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state law, three satellite installation technicians sought to represent 2,341 technicians on claims their employer’s “piece-rate” pay structure violated federal and state wage laws by failing to … Continue Reading
The Seventh Circuit ruled recently in Espenscheid v. DirectSat USA, LLC, No. 12-1943, 2012 WL 3156326 (7th Cir. Aug. 6, 2012), that a class representative may appeal a class decertification order notwithstanding his havng settled with the defendant. Writing for the Seventh Circuit, Judge Richard Posner held that a settling class representative could maintain standing to … Continue Reading
Posted in Precertification
