Zuniga v. Chino Market, LLC
Case Details
- Nature of Suit — the legal category of the dispute
- Labor: Fair Standards
- Status — whether other courts must follow this ruling
- Unknown
- Procedural Posture — the stage the case had reached
- consent decree
- State
- Maryland
- Circuit
- Fourth Circuit
Related Laws
No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Claim Types
Outcome
Plaintiff and defendant settled a Fair Labor Standards Act wage dispute. The defendant agreed to pay plaintiff $16,226.26, consisting of $4,113.13 in unpaid wages, $4,113.13 in liquidated damages, and $8,000 in attorneys' fees and costs.
What This Ruling Means
Zuniga v. Chino Market, LLC Settlement Summary
What Happened
A worker named Zuniga filed a lawsuit against Chino Market, LLC, claiming the employer failed to pay wages owed under federal law. The case involved wage theft—when employers don't pay workers the full amount they've earned.
What the Court Decided
Rather than go to trial, both sides agreed to settle. Chino Market agreed to pay Zuniga $16,226.26. This amount included $4,113.13 in unpaid wages the worker actually earned, an equal $4,113.13 in liquidated damages (a penalty), and $8,000 to cover the worker's attorney's fees and legal costs.
Why This Matters for Workers
This case shows that workers have legal protection against wage theft under federal law. When employers don't pay what's owed, workers can pursue claims and potentially recover not just their missing wages, but additional damages and legal fees. This settlement demonstrates that employers who violate wage laws face financial consequences, which encourages all businesses to pay workers correctly.
This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.
Similar Rulings
Browse Related
Facing something similar at work?
Court rulings like this one are useful, but every situation is different. Take 3 minutes to see which laws may protect you — it's free, private, and no account is required to start.
This ruling information is sourced from public court records via CourtListener.com. Case outcomes, claim types, and summaries are extracted using AI analysis and may be incomplete or inaccurate. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
See something wrong, or named in this ruling and want it corrected or redacted? Request a correction.