On August 20, 2010, Stephan Zouras, LLP was appointed lead counsel in a nationwide class action against World Alliance Financial Corp. (a.k.a. Vertical Lend Inc. and Mortgage Warehouse). Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit seeking to recover unpaid wages on behalf of all loan officers who worked for the company since December 9, 2005. The lawsuit charges that World Alliance Financial Corp. violated federal law by failing to keep accurate time records and failing to pay minimum and overtime wages earned as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) and state law. If you would like more information about this case, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.

On July 1, 2010, technicians employed by Matrix and Comcast filed a lawsuit against Defendants alleging they were not paid for all hours worked, including unpaid overtime.  Plaintiffs also allege that Matrix and/or Comcast misclassified them as independent contractors, made improper deductions from their pay, deprived them of hard earned overtime, and required them to perform unpaid work off the clock.  If you would like more information, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.

On June 29, 2010, Hudson Mallaney Shindler & Anderson, P.C., along with Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP, Greenfield & Goodman, LLC and Stephan Zouras, LLP, filed suit against Casey's General Stores alleging breach of fiduciary duty to its shareholders for its failure to negotiate a takeover offer from Couche-Tard.  Click here to read the full article about this case.

On May 27, 2010, notice of our collective action lawsuit against Per Mar Security Services was sent to current and former uniformed security guards who have worked for the company within the past three years.  If you worked as a uniformed security guard for Per Mar in the last three years and would like information about the case or your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

On April 14, 2010, the United States District Court of the Eastern District of New York granted Plaintiffs' motion and certified a class of several hundred loan officers who worked for Lend America and allege they were not properly paid minimum wage and overtime.  The class includes all individuals who were employed by Lend America as loan officers within the last three years. For more information, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.

On March 31, 2010, Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York granted our motion to conditionally certify our case against Mortgage Source, a New York residential mortgage broker.  Our clients are current and former loan officers who allege they were deprived of minimum and overtime wages in violation of federal and state law.  The Court ordered Mortgage Source to provide us with a list of current and former inside loan officers who are eligible to join the case and authorized us to send notice to these persons.  If you have worked for Mortgage Source as a loan officer and would like more information about your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.

Plaintiffs' class action lawsuit against North Star Cable Construction, Inc. was certified by the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois on February 18, 2010.  Plaintiffs are seeking unpaid overtime compensation and other damages.  If you have worked for North Star Cable Construction, Inc. as a technician and would like more information about your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

On February 5, 2010, notice of the collective action lawsuit against JCG Industries, Inc. and Koch Meat Co., Inc. was sent to current and former processing plant employees who have worked for the company within the past three years.  If you worked as a processing plant employee for Koch Meat in the last three years and would like information about the case or your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

Chicago Lawyer Magazine has recognized Ryan Stephan and Jim Zouras as two of the top young lawyers in Illinois, a distinction given to no more than 2.5% of the attorneys in the state.  We are proud that colleagues and peers in the legal community have honored our two founding partners for all their hard work and tireless dedication to their clients.

On December 15, 2009, Judge Joan H. Lefkow of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled that a group of current and former hourly poultry processing plant employees who worked for Koch Meat Company (also known as JCG Industries, Inc.) may proceed as a collective class.  Plaintiffs are authorized to distribute notice to several hundred workers who were employed during the last three years to inform them of this lawsuit and their right to join.  We are seeking to recover unpaid wages and overtime on behalf of class members for: 1) time spent donning and doffing their personal protective gear before and after their scheduled shifts; and 2) time spent working through unpaid meal breaks.  For more information on this case, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.

Plaintiffs' class action lawsuit against The Mortgage Zone was conditionally certified by the United States District Court of the Eastern District of New York on November 9, 2009.  Plaintiffs are seeking unpaid minimum wages and overtime compensation.  If you have worked for The Mortgage Zone as an inside loan officer and would like more information about your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

On November 4, 2009, the United States District Court of the Southern District of Florida granted plaintiffs’ motion to conditionally certify our collective action against Premium Capital Funding, LLC d/b/a Top Dot Mortgage.  The plaintiffs in the case claim that were not paid a guaranteed minimum wage or overtime while employed as inside loan officers for Top Dot.  If you worked for Premium Capital Funding, LLC or Top Dot Mortgage as an inside loan officer and would like more information about your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

Click here to read Jim Zouras' article.

On September 28, 2009, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York granted Plaintiffs' motion to consolidate the two cases of Franco, et al. v. Lend America and Fraser, et al. v. Lend America.  In the consolidated case, Plaintiffs continue their efforts to recover damages for unpaid overtime and minimum wages.  If you would like more information on your rights, please feel free to contact us.

Jim Zouras was interviewed about wage litigation in the financial industry.  Click here to read the article published by FinCriAdvisor.

On August 31, 2009, the New York federal district court granted our motion to conditionally certify our collective action against Concord Mortgage Corp.  The case is brought on behalf of inside loan officers who were not paid a guaranteed minimum wage or overtime.  If you worked for Concord Mortgage Corp. as an inside loan officer and would like more information about your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

On July 24, 2009, the Superior Court for the State of California granted Stephan Zouras' motion to be admitted into the Holland et al v. Securitas case as counsel for the Plaintiffs.  Stephan Zouras, LLP joins Appleton, Magnanimo & Dean, LLP, Westrup Klick, LLP and Cuneo, Gilbert and LaDuca, LLP as counsel for the Plaintiffs.  Plaintiffs allege that they were not paid for all the time they worked including time spent giving and receiving pass down instructions, time spent maintaining their uniforms and time worked training, amongst other things.  Plaintiffs are seeking to recover unpaid wages, liquidated damages and other relief under California State Laws.  For more information on this case, please feel free to contact us.

On July 21, 2009, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York certified our class action against IBM Corporation.  The case is brought on behalf of current and former call center employees of IBM's Riveredge, Georgia facility who were not paid overtime for work they performed pre-shift including booting up their computers and initializing a number of software applications.  For more information, please read the court approved Notice.

On June 16, 2009, Judge Joseph F. Bianco of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York granted our motion to conditionally certify our case against Franklin First Financial, Ltd., a New York residential mortgage broker.  Our clients are current and former loan officers who allege they were deprived of minimum and overtime wages in violation of federal and state law.  The court ordered Franklin First to provide us with a list of current and former inside loan officers who are eligible to join the case and authorized us to send notice to these persons.

On May 12, 2009, notice of the class action lawsuit against Specialty Construction Brands, Inc. and HB Fuller Company was sent to current and former manufacturing plant employees who have worked in Palatine, IL, Gainesville, FL or Edison, NJ in the past three years.  If you worked as a manufacturing plant employee at any of these locations and would like information about the case or your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

On April 22, 2009, notice of the class action lawsuit against Premium Capital Funding LLC a/k/a Top Dot Mortgage was sent to over 700 loan officers.  If you worked for Premium Capital Funding LLC a/k/a Top Dot Mortgage at anytime between April 22, 2006 and the present and would like information about the case or your rights, please contact us at (312) 233-1550 or lawyers@stephanzouras.com.

As of March 19, 2009, over 1,000 current and former security guards have joined our case against Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. as opt-in Plaintiffs.  If you are currently employed, or have been employed in the past three years, by Securitas as a security guard, and would like more information on this case, we encourage you to read the court approved Notice.

On March 17, 2009, manufacturing plant employees of Specialty Construction Brands, Inc. and HB Fuller Company filed a lawsuit against the company alleging they were not paid for all hours worked, including unpaid overtime.  Plaintiffs allege that Specialty Construction Brands, Inc. and HB Fuller Company deprived them of time and a half pay for overtime and required them to perform unpaid work off the clock.  If you would like more information, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.
  

On February 10, 2009, the federal Court denied McDonald's Motion to Dismiss and allowed Plaintiffs to proceed with their claims for unpaid wages and overtime. 

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On February 11, 2009, notice of the class action lawsuit against Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. was sent to over 10,000 current and former security guards. If you are currently employed, or have been employed in the past three years, by Securitas as a security guard, and would like more information on this case, we encourage you to read the court approved Notice.

On January 20, 2009, the Court ruled that Plaintiffs can proceed as a collective class.  Specifically, the Court conditionally certified a class of over 10,000 security guards who have worked for Securitas in the state of Illinois during the past three years.  Plaintiffs are now authorized to issue notice to these guards to inform them of their rights to participate in this lawsuit.  Plaintiffs are seeking to recover unpaid wages and overtime for time spent: 1) working before the start of their scheduled shifts, "pre-shift"; 2) working after the end of their scheduled shift, "holdover time"; 3) training; and 4) cleaning, pressing and maintaining their uniforms to comply with Securitas' dress code.  if you want more information on this case, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.

On December 30, 2008, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted Plaintiffs' motion and certified a class of several hundred technicians and installers who worked for Direct Sat USA and allege they were not properly paid overtime.  The class includes all individuals who were employed by DirectSat as service technicians or production technicians in Illinois since December 3, 2006.  For more information, please call us at (312) 233-1550.

On November 4, 2008, employees of Total Finance, LLC filed a lawsuit against the company claiming they were not paid for all hours worked, including unpaid overtime.  Plaintiffs allege that Total Finance deprived them of time and a half pay for overtime and required them to perform unpaid work off the clock.  If you would like more information, please contact us at (312) 233-1550.

On October 30, 2008, the Court issued an order conditionally certifying our case against Fill-Ups Food Stores, a Southeast Regional convenience store chain.  The case is brought on behalf of current and former Assistant Store Managers who were denied overtime compensation for all hours worked in excess of 40 in any workweek.  The Court authorized us to send notice to everyone eligible to join, which is estimated to consist of several hundred individuals.  For more information, please call us at (312) 233-1550.

Over 250 current and former loan officers of Lend America have joined our case to assert their rights to unpaid overtime and minimum wages.  On August 13, 2008, the Court conditionally certified our case, ordered Lend America to provide us with a list of current and former loan officers who are eligible to join and authorized us to send notice to these individuals.  For more information, please call us at (312) 233-1550.

On October 22, 2008, the Court granted our motion to conditionally certify our case against The Collection Clothing Management, a clothing retailer with approximately 15 stores in Illinois.  The case is brought on behalf of current and former sales representatives who seek unpaid back overtime compensation.  The Court ordered The Collection Clothing Management to provide us with a list of current and former sales representatives who are eligible to join the case and authorized us to send notice of the case to these individuals.  For more information, please call us at (312) 233-1550.

Jim Zouras was an invited speaker at the Chicago Bar Association where he discussed handling complex wage and hour litigation against large law firms and corporations.

A class action lawsuit against the fast-food giant alleges Missouri employees were not compensated for all the hours worked on and off the clock. Although the initial suit was filed in Cole County in February, attorneys for Illinois-based McDonald's Corp. moved the suit to federal court in Kansas City on Friday.

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Several former Casey's General Stores, Inc. cooks and cashiers filed a nationwide wage and overtime class action lawsuit on January 10, 2008, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa against Casey's.

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Convenience store chain Casey's General Stores Inc. was named in a federal lawsuit Wednesday in which two assistant managers claimed the company refused to pay them overtime.

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