CompFox AI Summary
Plaintiff Peter Fasanelli initiated a collective action lawsuit against Empire State Brewing Corporation, Jonathan Bloostein, Heartland Brewery Inc., Heartland Brewery 2 Inc., and Heartland Brewery LLC, alleging widespread violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and New York Labor Law. Fasanelli, a former bartender, claimed that the defendants engaged in unlawful practices, including failing to pay minimum wages, denying overtime pay for hours worked over forty, manipulating time cards, and improperly retaining portions of employee tips. These alleged infractions impacted himself and other hourly employees, such as waiters, bartenders, runners, and bussers, across the defendants' six New York City restaurant locations. The court, presided over by Judge Deborah A. Batts, granted the plaintiff's motion for conditional collective certification under FLSA § 216(b) and for court-facilitated notice to potential class members. The decision affirmed that there was a sufficient factual nexus between Fasanelli's claims and those of the putative class, allowing for discovery of employee contact information from the past three years to facilitate the opt-in process, with specific instructions regarding notice content and attorney fee disclosures.
Fasanelli v. Heartland Brewery, Inc. is a workers' compensation case decided in District Court, S.D. New York. This case addresses legal issues related to compensation claims, benefits, and court rulings.
It is commonly referenced in legal research involving workers' compensation laws in District Court, S.D. New York.
Full Decision Text1 Pages
Plaintiff Peter Fasanelli initiated a collective action lawsuit against Empire State Brewing Corporation, Jonathan Bloostein, Heartland Brewery Inc., Heartland Brewery 2 Inc., and Heartland Brewery LLC, alleging widespread violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and New York Labor Law. Fasanelli, a former bartender, claimed that the defendants engaged in unlawful practices, including failing to pay minimum wages, denying overtime pay for hours worked over forty, manipulating time cards, and improperly retaining portions of employee tips. These alleged infractions impacted himself and other hourly employees, such as waiters, bartenders, runners, and bussers, across the defendants' six New York City restaurant locations. The court, presided over by Judge Deborah A. Batts, granted the plaintiff's motion for conditional collective certification under FLSA § 216(b) and for court-facilitated notice to potential class members. The decision affirmed that there was a sufficient factual nexus between Fasanelli's claims and those of the putative class, allowing for discovery of employee contact information from the past three years to facilitate the opt-in process, with specific instructions regarding notice content and attorney fee disclosures.
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