Avila v. CWC Transportation, LLC et al

Filing 82

ORDER Approving Settlement Agreement and Dismissing Case with Prejudice. Closing Case. Signed by Magistrate Judge John J. O'Sullivan on 2/14/2018. (mms) NOTICE: If there are sealed documents in this case, they may be unsealed after 1 year or as directed by Court Order, unless they have been designated to be permanently sealed. See Local Rule 5.4 and Administrative Order 2014-69.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
Case No. 17-60041-CIV-O’SULLIVAN
[CONSENT]
HENRY AVILA,
Plaintiff,
v.
CWC TRANSPORTATION, LLC, et al.,
Defendants.
/
ORDER APPROVING SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND
DISMISSING CASE WITH PREJUDICE
THIS MATTER came before the Court for a fairness hearing.
THE COURT has heard from counsel and considered the terms of the settlement
agreement, the pertinent portions of the record, and is otherwise fully advised in the
premises.
This case involves claims for unpaid overtime compensation under the Fair
Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §201, et seq. ("FLSA"). In reviewing a settlement of an
FLSA private claim, a court must "scrutiniz[e] the settlement for fairness," and
determine that the settlement is a "fair and reasonable resolution of a bona fide dispute
over FLSA provisions." Lynn Food Stores v. United States, 679 F.2d 1350, 1352-53
(11th Cir. 1982). A settlement entered into in an adversarial context where both sides
are represented by counsel throughout litigation "is more likely to reflect a reasonable
compromise of disputed issues." Id. The district court may approve the settlement in
order to promote the policy of encouraging settlement of litigation. Id. at 1354.
In this case, there is a bona fide factual dispute over the number of hours, if any,
for which the plaintiff was not properly compensated and a factual and legal dispute
over whether the plaintiff was an exempt employee. The terms of the settlement were

announced on the record in open Court. The Court has reviewed the terms of the
settlement agreement including the amount to be received by the plaintiff and the
attorney’s fees and costs to be received by counsel and finds that the compromise
reached by the parties is a fair and reasonable resolution of the parties' bona fide
disputes. Accordingly, it is
ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the parties' settlement agreement (including
attorney’s fees and costs) is hereby APPROVED. It is further
ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that this case be dismissed with prejudice and that
the Court retain jurisdiction for 82 months to enforce the terms of the settlement.
DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Miami, Florida this 14th day of February,
2018.

JOHN J. O’SULLIVAN
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Copies to:
All counsel of record

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