Focus Social Club (Hourly-Paid Workers)

Brown, LLC has an active lawsuit regarding alleged wage and hour violations at Focus DC LLC. An active lawsuit does not mean the Defendant has done anything wrong or should be presumed to have done anything wrong.

The wage and hour lawyers at Brown, LLC are looking to speak with anyone who has information regarding the following allegations.

The Defendants

Focus DC LLC operates Focus Social Club, which is a food, beverage, and entertainment establishment in Washington, D.C.

The Employees

Position(s): Hourly-Paid Workers (e.g. Doormen, Guards, Door Managers, Assistant Heads of Security, Heads of Security, Security Personnel, and Cleaners)

Location(s): Washington, D.C.

Time Period: February 26, 2015, to the present

The Claims in the Lawsuit

The complaint alleges that Focus DC failed to pay hourly-paid workers at time-and-a-half (1.5x) of their regular rate for hours worked in excess of forty (40) in a workweek, and instead paid them at the same rate as non-overtime hours in violation of the FLSA. The complaint also alleges that workers’ tips were unlawfully confiscated by Focus Social Club, and that certain hours worked by the plaintiff were not compensated (i.e. meetings and assisting in interviews).

The complaint additionally alleges the same violations as above under the DCMA and DCWPCL and asserts those individually, jointly, and on a collective and class basis pursuant to Fed R. Civ. P. 23.

Case Status

June 11, 2024: the case was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia

How to Participate

To be eligible to recover unpaid wages under the FLSA as an hourly-paid worker within the last 3 years, you must complete a “Consent to Join” form, which you can obtain HERE.

If you are interested in participating in this case or have further questions, please contact our office by emailing “FLSAGroup@jtblawgroup.com or calling (877) 561-0000.

Until the Consent to Join form is filed with the Court, the statute of limitations for FLSA claims ordinarily continues to run. The statute of limitation under the FLSA is 2 years, and 3 years for willful violations. Thus, if you claim wages under the FLSA from 2 or more years ago, they may become unrecoverable if you delay signing your Consent to Join form. You can also take other routes to preserve your rights, which may include hiring your own counsel at your own expense.

If you choose to join this lawsuit, you will be bound by any judgment on any claim you may have under the FLSA, whether favorable or unfavorable. This means that if you win, you may be eligible to share in the monetary award (if any); if you lose, no money will be awarded, and you will not be able to file another lawsuit regarding the matters raised in the lawsuit.

If you are interested in participating in this case or have further questions, please contact our office by emailing FLSAGroup@jtblawgroup.com or calling (877) 561-0000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Defendant Discipline or Fire Me If I Join the Case?

No! The Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits Aurora from taking any adverse action against you for participating in this lawsuit. There is no indication as of this writing that Aurora would take any retaliatory action against anyone for participation in this lawsuit. For further information, please consult the Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet.

Will I have to Testify or Provide Documentary Proof?

Potentially, but not necessarily. Many employees obtain monetary recoveries in Fair Labor Standards Act cases without ever having to appear at court or for depositions.

At this point, you are not required to provide documentary proof of your unpaid wages. In most cases, the employer is required to provide the employee’s payroll records to the employee and his or her attorney. In fact, the Fair Labor Standards Act mandates that employers keep accurate time and payroll records. The employer cannot escape this duty by requiring you as the employee to provide proof.

However, you may be required to participate in discovery. As such, it is important that you preserve any physical or electronic evidence relating to the case that you currently possess.

Will Brown, LLC be my Attorneys?

Employees who sign Retainer Agreement and/or Consent to Join forms will be represented by Brown, LLC with respect to the lawsuit and claims described above.

You will not be required to pay any attorneys’ fees or court costs to the Plaintiff’s lawyers at this time and not pay any attorneys’ fees unless you prevail. Rather, in the event the Plaintiff prevails in the lawsuit, by either judgment or settlement, the Plaintiff’s attorneys will request that the Court order Defendant(s) to pay the Plaintiff’s lawyers their reasonable attorneys’’ fees and reimburse them for any expenses.

How Long will the Case Take?

It is very difficult to predict exactly how long a case will take. It depends on a variety of factors including the number of parties and claims involved, the rules and pace of the court, the complexity of the proofs, and the manner in which the employer defends the case. Wage-and-hour cases typically take 2-3 years, but this can be shorter or increase considerably.

Whether you’re eligible to participate in this matter or not, if you have questions regarding this page, or have information regarding these allegations please contact the wage and hour lawyers at Brown, LLC by calling (877) 561-0000. If you’re potentially seeking representation the call is confidential. The lawyers at Brown, LLC can arrange to speak with you when it’s most convenient for you – including after-hours or on the weekend.

Conclusion

The United States is founded on the principle of innocent until proven guilty. This is a civil matter stemming from a civil lawsuit, and unless and until there is a verdict against Aurora then everything contained in the allegations should just be considered allegations.