As part of a $1.2 million settlement, Setareh Law wants $300,000 in fees from attorneys representing workers in a wage claim against Five Guys Enterprises LLC. Before a federal judge will approve their fees, attorneys representing workers who claim the restaurant chain cheated them on overtime and breaks must turn over billing records.

Class counsel Setareh Law Group requested $300,000 in fees for its work on the wage-and-hour case; however, the US District Court for the Eastern District of California will not be able to determine whether the total amount of time spent on the suit was reasonable until the company provides additional information.

The employees say that Five Guys and Encore FGBF LLC, the franchisee, are guilty of a number of wage and hour violations, including problems with rest and meal breaks and unpaid overtime. After rejecting four previous versions of the agreement, Judge Anthony W. Ishii gave the settlement his initial go-ahead in October.

The laborers let the court know that Setareh Regulation went through over 460 hours chipping away at the case. However, Judge Jennifer L. Thurston, who took over the case from Ishii in January, stated that the company did not submit time sheets to support the fees it requested, nor did it conduct a lodestar crosscheck.

According to Thurston, the Ninth Circuit instructs judges to examine whether the hour’s attorneys bill are reasonable in light of the work they performed and the context of the case. Notwithstanding, the court can’t play out that survey until it gets class insight’s charging records, as indicated by the request documented Tuesday.

Setareh Law had seven days to provide the requested records after Thurston served the order.

Five Guys are represented by Littler Mendelson PC, which denies responsibility.

Lusk v. Five Guys Enters is the case. LLC, E.D. California, 2023 BL 182953, 1:17-cv-00762, request recorded 5/30/23.

Source – Bloomberglaw