Overhill Farms Inc. (OFI) said Thursday that an U.S. Court has ruled in its favor by denying class action status to a lawsuit filed by several former employees.
Judge David Minning of the Los Angeles Superior Court issued the ruling in the suit filed in July 2009 by employees who had been terminated by the company a month earlier for using invalid Social Security numbers in connection with their employment.
The suit claimed the company had required employees to put on and remove protective clothing and wash their hands before and after working without paying employees for that time, along with other alleged violations of labor regulations. The company denied the allegations.
Judge Minning ruled that the plaintiffs named in the purported class action could not adequately represent the interests of other employees, in part because they "lied to their employer" about certain facts.
"This is a serious charge against their credibility," the judge ruled, which "raises serious doubts that they should stand in a position of fiduciary responsibility to the class members."
The judge also noted that some sworn statements from members of the purported class of employees "lack credibility," while other statements they made contradict the claims in their lawsuit.
Judge Minning ruled that "evidence demonstrates that this class does not meet certain requirements for certification" as a class action lawsuit.
The denial of class action certification is subject to appeal, and plaintiffs can pursue their claims individually.
The company said that, based on the strength of the court's ruling and on the its employment practices, it was confident it would prevail in any further litigation.
Overhill Farms Inc. is a value-added supplier of custom high quality prepared frozen foods for branded retail, private label foodservice and airline customers.
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