Ruiz v. Automotive Racing Products, Inc

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF VENTURA
Case No. 2023CUOE011192

You may be eligible to receive money from an employee class action lawsuit (“Action”) against Automotive Racing Products, Inc. (“ARP” or “Defendant”) for alleged wage and hour violations. The Action was filed by former ARP employees Alfonso Ceja Ruiz and Reynaldo Labo (“Plaintiffs”) and seeks payment of (1) wages and penalties for a class of non-exempt, hourly employees that worked for Defendant in California (“Class Members”) during the Class Period (July 10, 2019 through August 12, 2024); and (2) penalties under the California Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”) for non-exempt, hourly individuals that worked for Defendant in California during the PAGA Period (June 13, 2022 through August 12, 2024) (“Aggrieved Employees”).

The proposed Settlement has two main parts: (1) a Class Settlement requiring ARP to fund Individual Class Payments, and (2) a PAGA Settlement requiring ARP to fund Individual PAGA Payments and pay penalties to the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (“LWDA”).

The Court has already preliminarily approved the proposed Settlement and approved the Notice. The Court has not yet decided whether to grant Final Approval. Your legal rights are affected whether you act or not act. Read the Notice carefully. You will be deemed to have carefully read and understood it. At the Final Approval Hearing, the Court will decide whether to finally approve the Settlement and how much of the Settlement will be paid to Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s attorneys (“Class Counsel”). The Court will also decide whether to enter a Judgment that requires ARP to make payments under the Settlement and requires Class Members and Aggrieved Employees to give up their rights to assert certain claims against ARP.

If you worked for ARP during the Class Period and/or the PAGA Period, you have two basic options under the Settlement:

(1) Do Nothing. You don’t have to do anything to participate in the proposed Settlement and be eligible for an Individual Class Payment and/or an Individual PAGA Payment. As a Participating Class Member, though, you will give up your right to assert Class Period wage claims and PAGA Period penalty claims against ARP.

(2) Opt-Out of the Class Settlement. You can exclude yourself from the Class Settlement (opt-out) by submitting the written Request for Exclusion or otherwise notifying the Administrator in writing. If you opt-out of the Settlement, you will not receive an Individual Class Payment. You will, however, preserve your right to personally pursue Class Period wage claims against ARP, and, if you are an Aggrieved Employee, remain eligible for an Individual PAGA Payment. You cannot opt-out of the PAGA portion of the proposed Settlement.

ARP will not retaliate against you for any actions you take with respect to the proposed Settlement.

SUMMARY OF YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT

You Don’t Have to Do Anything to Participate in the Settlement.	If you do nothing, you will be a Participating Class Member, eligible for an Individual Class Payment and an Individual PAGA Payment (if any). In exchange, you will give up your right to assert the wage claims against ARP that are covered by this Settlement (Released Claims).
You Can Opt-Out of the Class Settlement But Not the PAGA Settlement. The Opt-Out Deadline is June 19, 2025.	If you don’t want to fully participate in the proposed Settlement, you can opt-out of the Class Settlement by sending the Administrator a written Request for Exclusion. Once excluded, you will be a Non-Participating Class Member and no longer eligible for an Individual Class Payment. Non-Participating Class Members cannot object to any portion of the proposed Settlement. See Section 6 of the Notice or on the Frequently Asked Questions page of this website. You cannot opt-out of the PAGA portion of the proposed Settlement. ARP must pay Individual PAGA Payments to all Aggrieved Employees and the Aggrieved Employees must give up their rights to pursue Released Claims (defined HERE).
Participating Class Members Can Object to the Class Settlement But Not the PAGA Settlement. Written Objections Must be Submitted by June 19, 2025.	All Class Members who do not opt-out (“Participating Class Members”) can object to any aspect of the proposed Settlement. The Court’s decision whether to finally approve the Settlement will include a determination of how much will be paid to Class Counsel and Plaintiff who pursued the Action on behalf of the Class. You are not personally responsible for any payments to Class Counsel or Plaintiff, but every dollar paid to Class Counsel and Plaintiff reduces the overall amount paid to Participating Class Members. You can object to the amounts requested by Class Counsel or Plaintiff if you think they are unreasonable. See Section 7 of the Notice or on the Frequently Asked Questions page of this website.
You Can Participate in the August 13, 2025, Final Approval Hearing.	The Court’s Final Approval Hearing is scheduled to take place on August 13, 2025. You don’t have to attend but you do have the right to appear (or hire an attorney to appear on your behalf at your own cost), in person, by telephone or by using the Court’s virtual appearance platform. Participating Class Members can verbally object to the Settlement at the Final Approval Hearing. See Section 8 of the Notice or on the Frequently Asked Questions page of this website.
You Can Challenge the Calculation of Your Workweeks/Pay Periods. Written Challenges Must be Submitted by June 19, 2025.	The amount of your Individual Class Payment and PAGA Payment (if any) depends on how many Workweeks you worked at least one day during the Class Period and how many Pay Periods you worked at least one day during the PAGA Period, respectively. The number of Class Period Workweeks and number of PAGA Period Pay Periods you worked according to ARP’s records is stated in the postcard Notice that was mailed to you. If you disagree with either of these numbers, you must challenge it by June 19, 2025. See Section 4 of the Notice or on the Frequently Asked Questions page of this website.