$2.95M settlement for California hospital workers who said they were denied lunch breaks

Kelly Gooch -

Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif., has agreed to pay $2.95 million to settle allegations it compensated workers less than the amount owed and prevented them from taking lunch breaks, according to a Ventura County Star report.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin DeNoce approved the settlement Jan. 16. Under the arrangement, about 3,000 current and former workers will each receive an average payment of $618, according to the Star. Los Robles will reportedly pay $973,500 to cover workers' legal fees, as well as $10,000 in state penalties for alleged labor violations.

In a statement obtained earlier this month, hospital officials told the Star Los Robles "denied all allegations" and "settled the matter on a no-fault basis … to keep its focus on providing the best quality patient care rather than litigation."

Marcus Bradley of Bradley/Grombacher law firm, who represented the workers, told the publication, "We're pleased with the resolution."

The settlement is the result of a lawsuit filed in 2014 by former Los Robles nurse Jeanette Munden.

 

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