Order | Filed: September 15, 2026
Piney et al v. City Of New York et al
Labor: Fair Standards | New York Southern
Order
ORDER GRANTING PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OFCLASS AND COLLECTIVE ACTION SETTLEMENTOn August 12, 2026, Plaintiffs M. Mostayen Faysal ("Faysal") and Sudan Osorio("Osorio"), on behalf of themselves and the proposed Class (collectively, &qu ot;Plaintiffs"), filed amotion for preliminary approval of their Settlement with Defendant School of Visual Arts (namedin the Action as "SVA Alumni Society Inc.," and hereafter referred to as "SVA" or "Defendant")(t ogether with Plaintiffs, the "Parties"). In doing so, Plaintiffs requested certification of a FederalRule of Civil Procedure 23 ("Rule 23") class action and final certification of the FLSA collectiveaction, for settlement purposes only, and sought approval of a settlement on behalf of these putativeclass members ("Class Members"). The Court has considered Plaintiffs' request for approval of aRule 23 class pursuant to Rule 23(e) and collective certification for settlement purposes only, andthe SVA Settlement Agreement and Release ("SVA Agreement"), filed in its final form on August12, 2026, and the Declaration of Innessa M. Huot ("Huot Decl."), and hereby finds and orders asfollows:Preli minary Approval of Settlement Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used in this Order (the "Preliminary Approval Order") will have the same meaning as defined in the SVA Agreement, filed on August 12, 2026. As further set forth in thi s Order, The Court will conduct a Fairness Hearing pursuant to Rule 23(e)(2) on March 2, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. ET, Courtroom 18A, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 for the purposes of: (a) hearing any timely and properly filed objections; (b) makin g a final determination as to the fairness, adequacy, and reasonableness of the SVA Agreement terms and procedures; (c) fixing the amount of attorneys' fees and litigation costs andexpenses to Class Counsel and the service payments to Plaintiffs Faysal and Osorio; and (d)entering Judgment, if appropriate. The Fairness Hearing may be continued without further noticeto the Class Members. Plaintiffs shall file their motion for final approval of the SVA Settlement,and Class Counsel shall file their motion for attorneys' fees and litigation costs and expenses, andservice payments within 150 days of this Order. (And as further set forth herein.) IT IS SO ORDERED. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave on 9/15/2026) (ar)
Order | Filed: September 15, 2026
Piney et al v. City Of New York et al
Labor: Fair Standards | New York Southern
Order
ORDER GRANTING PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS AND COLLECTIVE ACTION SETTLEMENT On August 12, 2026, Plaintiffs Wadih Abouabdallah ("Abouabdallah"), Randy Chow ("Chow"), Anna Garlinska ("Garlinska"), Tamara Lauzier ("L auzier"), and Justin Senese ("Senese"), on behalf of themselves and the proposed Class (collectively, "Plaintiffs"), filed a motion for preliminary approval of Plaintiffs' Settlement with Defendant Manhattan High School for Girls ("Manhattan HS or "Defendant") (together with Plaintiffs, the "Parties"). In doing so, Plaintiffs requested certification of a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 ("Rule 23") class action and final certific ation of the FLSA collective action, for settlement purposes only, and sought approval of a settlement on behalf of these putative class members ("Class Members"). The Court has considered Plaintiffs' request for approval of a Rule 23 class pursuant to Rule 23(e) and collective certification for settlement purposes only, and the Manhattan HS Settlement Agreement and Release ("Manhattan HS Agreement"), filed in its final form on August 12, 2026, and the Declaration of Inn essa M. Huot ("Huot Decl."), and hereby finds and orders as follows: I. Preliminary Approval of Settlement 1. Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used in this Order (the "Preliminary Approval Order") will have the same mean ing as defined in the Manhattan HS Agreement, filed on August 12, 2026. As further set forth in this Order, The Court will conduct a Fairness Hearing pursuant to Rule 23(e) (2) on March 2, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. ET, Courtroom 18A, 500 Pearl Street, New Y ork, NY 10007 for the purposes of: (a) hearing any timely and properly filed objections; (b) making a final determination as to the fairness, adequacy, and reasonableness of the Manhattan HS Agreement terms and procedures; (c) fixing the amount of a ttorneys' fees and litigation costs and expenses to Class Counsel and the service payments to Plaintiffs Abouabdallah, Chow, Garlinska, Lauzier, and Senese; and (d) entering Judgment, if appropriate. The Fairness Hearing may be continued withou t further notice to the Class Members. Plaintiffs shall file their motion for final approval of the Manhattan HS Settlement, and Class Counsel shall file their motion for attorneys' fees and litigation costs and expenses, and service payments within 150 days of this Order. (And as further set forth herein.) IT IS SO ORDERED. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave on 9/15/2026) (ar)