The total Settlement amount of $900,000.00 which was approved by the Court is being allocated as follows:
(a) $543,676.40 dollars to be paid to Settlement Collective Members (“Net Settlement Amount”) This amount is divided pursuant to the allocation formula described in Section 3 below.
(b) $10,000.00 to the Named Plaintiff, in exchange for her General Release, along with compensation for the time she spent and the risk she incurred in representing you in this litigation.
(c) $300,000.00 of the Gross Settlement Amount for attorneys’ fees. The attorneys’ fees compensate your attorneys for the time spent litigating the case, during which they have not been paid.
(d) Reimbursement of litigation costs not to exceed $8,740.60
(e) Administrative costs of $37,583.00.
Each Settlement Class Member’s Individual Settlement Payment was calculated from Defendant’s payroll data. The Net Settlement Amount was divided into equal shares based upon the total number of workweeks worked by all Settlement Collective Members during the Relevant Period, with each workweek equal to one-share of the Net Settlement Amount. Your Individual Settlement Payment was calculated by multiplying the total number of workweeks you worked by one share, less applicable taxes.
The Parties agreed for tax purposes, each Individual Settlement Payment will be allocated 50% to wages and reported to you on an IRS Form W-2; and 50% to statutory liquidated damages to be reported on an IRS Form 1099. Settlement Collective Members will be responsible for the taxes on all payments received by them, for filing returns, and reporting all income received to state and federal taxing authorities, and for payment of any other applicable taxes due.
Counsel for the Parties cannot provide any advice regarding your tax obligations. You should seek tax advice from your own tax advisor.
You have 60 days calendar days after the issuance of your Settlement check to cash, deposit, or cause to be deposited the Settlement check. After that time, the Settlement check will expire and any uncashed Settlement checks will be returned to the Defendant, and you will not receive a payment as a result of the Settlement.
You may view the Amended Complaint, Settlement Agreement, and Approval Order HERE or by contacting the Claims Administrator at:
Cocagne, et al. v Morley Companies, Inc.
c/o Atticus Administration
PO Box 64053
Saint Paul, MN 55164
Email: [email protected]
Or by contacting the attorneys representing Plaintiffs at:
Andrew R. Frisch, Esq.
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
8151 Peters Road, Suite 4000
Plantation Florida 33324
Direct Dial: (954) 318-0268
E-mail: [email protected]
On April 26, 2024, the Named Plaintiff Jodi Cocagne filed this lawsuit as a collective action. On December 4, 2025, the Court approved the Parties’ Settlement as an FLSA collective action and authorized this Settlement Notice to members of the collective and provided members of the collective 45 days to return their Claim Form and join the case as Settlement Collective Members. By returning a valid Claim Form, you consent to join the lawsuit and join the Settlement as a Settlement Collective Member.
The Court did not decide in favor of Plaintiff or Defendant. Instead, both sides agreed to a Settlement without Defendant’s admission of liability, which brings the litigation to an end. That way, Plaintiff and Defendant avoid the cost, delay, and uncertainty of moving forward in litigation, a trial and possible appeals, and the Settlement Collective Members will receive compensation.
Under the Settlement, if you return your Claim Form, you cannot sue again or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendant about the same legal issues in this case. It also means that all the Court’s orders will apply and legally bind you. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan has approved the Settlement, and under the terms of the Settlement, all Settlement Collective Members will be bound by the Release which waives and releases all Released Claims against the Released Parties during the Released Period. As set forth in the Agreement, these terms mean:
Released Claims
“Released Claims” includes State Law and FLSA Claims, which are defined as follows:
(i) State Law Claims: means any and all claims, debts, penalties, liabilities, demands, obligations, guarantees, costs, expenses, attorneys’ fees, damages, action or causes of action of whatever kind or nature, whether known or unknown, expressly limited to wage and hour claims under Michigan or any other state or federal law for unpaid regular and/or overtime for hours worked by the Collective Member, and any damages, penalties, interests, fees or costs derivative from those wage and hour claims available under any state or federal law, that were or could have been alleged in the Action or that reasonably arise out of the acts alleged in the Action, which includes all claims under any state or local law for payment for time worked for Morley, and including associated liquidated damages, interest, and penalty claims that were asserted or could have been asserted in this Action for work performed by the Collective Member during the Collective Period (through November 11, 2024). This release includes all claims for unpaid wages as alleged in the operative Complaint, including but not limited to claims for alleged off-the-clock work and claims for alleged failure to pay minimum wage or overtime, under any state minimum wage laws, state wage payment and collection laws, state overtime statutes, state common law and unjust enrichment, quantum meruit, and pursuant to wage contract claims
(ii) FLSA Claims: mean any and all claims, debts, penalties, liabilities, demands, obligations, guarantees, costs, expenses, attorneys’ fees, damages, action or causes of action of whatever kind or nature, whether known or unknown, expressly limited to wage and hour claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act for unpaid minimum wage or overtime, and any damages, penalties, interests, fees or costs derivative from those wage and hour claims available under the FLSA, that were specifically alleged in the Action or that reasonably arise out of the factual predicate of the acts alleged in the Action, which includes all claims under the FLSA for payment for time worked for Morley, and including associated liquidated damages, interest, and penalty claims derivative of those claims for payment for time worked that were asserted or could have been asserted in this Action based on the factual predicate alleged in the Complaint under the FLSA during the Collective Period through November 11, 2024.
Released Parties
“Released Parties” or “Releasees” means Morley Incorporated, Inc. (“Morley”), its present and former subsidiaries, divisions, parent companies, holding companies, stockholders, shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents, servants, representatives, attorneys, insurers, affiliates and the successors, heirs and assigns of any such entity or person, as well as any individual who could be included within the definition of “employer” under the Fair Labor Standards Act 29 U.S.C. 201 et seq., the Michigan Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, MCL §§ 408.931 et seq., the Michigan Payment of Wages and Fringe Benefit Act, MCL §§ 408.471 et seq., and/or any federal, state, or local law or ordinance pertaining to the payment of wages in any location that a Settlement Collective Member worked or resided during his or her employment, including but not limited to all officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents, and managers of Morley and the aforementioned entities in their personal capacities.
Released Period
“Release Period” means from the beginning of time through and including November 11, 2024.
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Please do not call the Court or the Court clerk’s office to inquire about this Settlement. They will be unable to help you.