Class Action Settlement Approved in Wage Dispute

Case Background

Jazmyn Green-Dominguez, on behalf of herself and a proposed class of similarly situated individuals, filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento. The suit alleges that defendants TLCS, Inc. and Hope Cooperative—who are alleged to have employed the plaintiff during the relevant period—violated numerous provisions of California labor law.

Cause

The dispute centers on alleged systemic violations of California labor regulations. These include failure to pay overtime wages, failure to provide required meal and rest break premiums, non-payment of minimum wages, untimely payment of wages, issuance of non-compliant wage statements, failure to maintain accurate payroll records, and failure to reimburse necessary business expenses.

Injury

The plaintiff and other proposed class members allege they suffered financial harm as a result of the defendants’ actions. Specifically, they claim they were deprived of wages lawfully owed, denied rest and meal breaks mandated by law, and incurred unreimbursed work-related expenses—all of which violated their statutory rights.

Damages

The plaintiff seeks monetary damages, restitution, and other equitable and legal relief. The requested remedies include unpaid wages, overtime compensation, premiums for missed breaks, reimbursement for business-related expenses, and statutory penalties for wage statement and payroll record violations.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

Plaintiff(s): Jazmyn Green-Dominguez | Does 1–100
Counsel for Plaintiff: Arby Aiwazian
Defendant(s): HOPE Cooperative | TLCS, Inc.
Counsel for Defendants: David M. Daniels

Claims Against the Defendants

The complaint sets forth ten causes of action against TLCS, Inc., Hope Cooperative, and DOES 1 through 100:

Failure to Pay Overtime Wages – Violation of Labor Code §§ 510, 1198
Failure to Provide Meal Period Premiums – Violation of Labor Code §§ 226.7, 512(a)
Failure to Provide Rest Period Premiums – Violation of Labor Code § 226.7
Failure to Pay Minimum Wages – Violation of Labor Code §§ 1194, 1197, 1197.1
Failure to Timely Pay Final Wages – Violation of Labor Code §§ 201, 202
Failure to Timely Pay Wages During Employment – Violation of Labor Code § 204
Issuance of Inaccurate Wage Statements – Violation of Labor Code § 226(a)
Failure to Maintain Payroll Records – Violation of Labor Code § 1174(d)
Failure to Reimburse Business Expenses – Violation of Labor Code §§ 2800, 2802
Unfair Business Practices – Violation of Business & Professions Code §§ 17200, et seq.

Defense

Defendants TLCS, Inc. and Hope Cooperative generally denied all allegations and the relief sought by the plaintiff. They raised numerous affirmative defenses, including failure to state a claim, expiration of the statute of limitations, and doctrines such as unclean hands, waiver, estoppel, laches, and lack of standing. They also asserted that there was a good faith dispute, that any payments due had already been made or released, and that the plaintiff failed to mitigate damages.

Further, the defendants challenged the class action itself, arguing that the claims were not typical, the proposed class was unmanageable and lacked numerosity, and the representative was adverse to or not representative of the class. They maintained that there were no common legal or factual questions and that the plaintiff did not suffer injury under applicable Labor Code sections. The defendants contended they complied with all legal obligations, reasonably interpreted applicable laws, and reimbursed all required business expenses. They also reserved the right to assert additional defenses and requested dismissal of the complaint with prejudice, along with costs and attorneys’ fees.

Settlement

The Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento granted final approval of a class action settlement covering all non-exempt, hourly-paid employees who worked for the defendants in California between June 6, 2019, and July 7, 2024. The Court found the settlement to be fair, reasonable, and the result of informed, arm’s-length negotiations. It approved payments of $182,000 in attorneys’ fees, $19,931.11 in litigation costs, a $5,000 enhancement award to the named plaintiff, and $8,650 in administration costs. The settlement will be funded in two installments over 12 months, with payments to class members, counsel, and the administrator issued after full funding. Uncashed checks will be escheated to the state, and the Court retained jurisdiction to enforce the settlement. A compliance hearing is scheduled for September 18, 2026.

Court Documents

Court documents are available for purchase upon request at Jurimatic@exlitem.com