TO ALL FILIPINO NATIONALS WHO CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AS H-2B TEMPORARY WORKERS BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2008, AND DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND WERE SPONSORED BY OR WORKED FOR ONE OF THE DEFENDANTS UPON ARRIVAL TO THE UNITED STATES.
Upang matuto nang higit pa tungkol sa iyong mga karapatan, at ang iyong kakayahang tumanggap ng kabayaran kung ang kasunduan ay sinang-ayunan, tumawag sa (888)820-1293 o magpadala ng isang email sa schumacher_lawsuit@legalaidatwork.org at ang isang abogado na kumakatawan sa klase ay muling tatawag sa iyo na may isang Tagalog na tagapagsalin.
In 2021, the Court approved this case as a class action for the Filipino H-2B workers who worked for Walter and Carolyn Schumacher-owned companies between 2008 and 2014. In December 2023, the parties reached a settlement. In this case, the Defendants are Hotelmacher LLC, doing business as Holiday Inn Express; Steakmacher, LLC, doing business as Montana Mike’s Steakhouse; Schumacher Investments, LLC, doing business as Water Zoo; Apex USA, Inc.; Walter Schumacher; and Carolyn Schumacher.
Plaintiffs claim that Defendants made a number of false promises to Plaintiffs to recruit them to work in Clinton, Oklahoma. Plaintiffs say that once they arrived in Clinton, Oklahoma, the Defendants did not keep their promises, which allegedly included: reimbursement for the cost of travel to Clinton; providing free food and housing in Clinton; full-time work; and/or to be paid at a fixed hourly rate (or “guaranteed minimum”). Plaintiffs also claim that by breaking these promises, the Defendants breached the contracts they entered into with the Plaintiffs and the Philippine government and forced the Plaintiffs to labor for Defendants on Defendants’ terms. The Plaintiffs are asking for compensation from Defendants to remedy the allegedly broken promises and allegedly forced labor to which Plaintiffs claim they were subjected in Clinton, Oklahoma. Defendants have denied and continue to deny each of Plaintiffs’ allegations.
For answers to frequently asked questions, read the Notice of Class Action Settlement by going to the Court Documents link at the top of this page.
On August 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., the Court will hold a hearing and consider whether to approve the settlement. You have the right to object to the settlement at this hearing if you do not believe it is fair, reasonable, and adequate. Your legal rights may be affected, and you have a choice to make now:
| Your Rights and Options | ||
|---|---|---|
| Option | Description | Deadline |
| Provide your information and preferred method of payment. | We need to make sure we have your accurate information to pay your portion of the settlement. Please confirm your information by either going to the link at the top, Submit a Claim, calling (888) 820-1293, or sending back the last page of your notice received by mail (if applicable) to Casilao v. Hotelmacher, LLC c/o CPT Group, Inc. 50 Corporate Park Irvine, CA 92606 | July 15, 2024 |
| Opt Out of the Class Action | You may ask to be excluded from this lawsuit and pursue your own lawsuit. If you ask to be excluded from this lawsuit, you will not participate in the settlement in this lawsuit, but you will keep any rights to sue Defendants separately about the same legal claims in this lawsuit. | July 15, 2024 |
| Object to the settlement. | File an objection with the Court by July 15, 2024 or appear at the Final Approval Hearing to explain why you do not like the settlement. | July 15, 2024 |
If you submit a claim form, you can select how you would like to get paid, which could include a variety of digital options or by paper check. If you do not fill out a claim form, a check will be mailed to you if Class Counsel or the Settlement Administrator CPT Group, Inc. has a known mailing address for you.
If you have any questions, please contact the Claims Administrator: by phone at 1-888-710-5614, by email at hotelmachersettlement@cptgroup.com or by facsimile at (949) 419-3446, or via mail at Casilao v. Hotelmacher LLC, et al. c/o CPT Group, Inc., 50 Corporate Park, Irvine, CA, 92606. You may also contact class counsel at (888) 820-1293 or schumacher_lawsuit@legalaidatwork.org .