Pacific Bell Wage and Hour Cases

SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Case No. JCCP5017

You may be eligible to receive money from an employee class action lawsuit (“Action”) against Pacific Bell Telephone Company and AT&T Services, Inc. (“Defendants”) for alleged wage and hour violations. The Action was filed by Defendants’ former employees of Defendants Steven Leggins, Fernando Lopez, David Herrera, and Alexander Hernandez (“Plaintiffs”) and seeks payment of (1) back wages, unreimbursed business expenses, penalties, and other relief for a class of non-exempt employees who worked for Defendants in a Technician job title during the Class Period (July 7, 2011, to June 13, 2023) (“Class Members”); and (2) penalties under the California Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”) for all non-exempt employees who worked for Defendants in a Technician job title during the PAGA Period (June 3, 2014 to June 13, 2023) (“Aggrieved Employees”).

Defendants and Plaintiffs have entered into a Class Action and Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) Settlement Agreement (“Class Action and PAGA Settlement Agreement”).  The proposed Class Action and PAGA Settlement Agreement has two main parts: (1) a Class Settlement requiring Defendants to fund Individual Class Payments, and (2) a PAGA Settlement requiring Defendants to pay penalties to the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (“LWDA”) and fund Individual PAGA payments to aggrieved employees.

The Court has already preliminarily approved the proposed Class Action and PAGA Settlement and approved the Notice.  The Court has not yet decided whether to grant final approval.  If you are a Class Member, your legal rights are affected whether you act or not act.  Read the Notice carefully.  You will be deemed to have carefully read and understood it.  At the Final Approval Hearing, the Court will decide whether to finally approve the Class Action and PAGA Settlement and how much of the Class Action and PAGA Settlement will be paid to Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs’ attorneys (“Class Counsel”). The Court will also decide whether to enter a judgment that requires Defendants to make payments under the Class Action and PAGA Settlement and requires Class Members, Aggrieved Employees, and the State of California to give up their rights to assert certain claims against Defendants.

If you worked for Defendants during the Class Period and/or the PAGA Period, you have two basic options under the Class Action and PAGA Settlement.

Option 1

Do Nothing. You don’t have to do anything to participate in the proposed Class Action and PAGA Settlement and be eligible for an Individual Class Payment and/or an Individual PAGA Payment. As a Participating Class Member, you will give up your right to assert any claims covered by this Class Action and PAGA Settlement, which are identified in Sections 3.9–3.10 of the Notice (“Released Claims”).

Option 2

Opt-Out of the Class Settlement. You can exclude yourself from the Class Settlement (opt-out) by submitting the written Request for Exclusion or otherwise notifying the Administrator in writing.  If you opt-out of the Settlement, you will not receive an Individual Class Payment. You will, however, preserve your right to personally pursue those Class Period wage claims identified in Section 3.9 of the Notice against Defendants.  If you are an Aggrieved Employee, you will also remain eligible for an Individual PAGA Payment, as you cannot opt-out of the PAGA portion of the proposed Class Action and PAGA Settlement.

Defendants will not retaliate against you for any actions you take with respect to the proposed Class Action and PAGA Settlement.

Your legal rights are affected whether you act or don’t act. Please read the information provided on this website and the Settlement Documents carefully.