Zambrana v. Scubavice Diving Center, LLC

**What Happened** A group of 48 workers brought a class action lawsuit against Tour Resource Consultants, LLC, claiming the company improperly kept cancellation fees from tours that were canceled due to COVID-19. The workers argued this violated their contracts and constituted wage theft, meaning the company wrongfully withheld money that belonged to them. **What the Court Decided** Rather than go to trial, Tour Resource Consultants agreed to settle the case. Under the settlement agreement, the company will pay $400 to each of the 48 affected workers, totaling $19,200 in damages. The company also agreed to pay $50,000 in attorney fees to cover the workers' legal costs. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that workers can successfully challenge employers who keep money during unexpected circumstances like the pandemic. When companies cancel services or operations due to events like COVID-19, they may still be required to return fees or payments to workers under their contracts. The settlement demonstrates that group legal action can be effective for workers facing similar issues, and that courts will enforce agreements requiring employers to return money they shouldn't have kept.