Kathy Radtke v. Maria Caschetta

Radtke v. Caschetta: What Happened

Kathy Radtke and other employees at Advanta Medical Solutions and Lifecare Management Partners sued their employer for not paying them overtime wages owed under federal law.

What the Court Decided

The employees won their main case—the court confirmed they were owed unpaid overtime and awarded them $5,844.29 in damages. However, there was a dispute over attorney's fees (payment for their lawyers). The lower court had reduced the fee award from about $255,000 to $56,000. The appeals court found this reduction was based on a factual mistake about when the employees provided cost information, so it sent the case back for recalculation.

Why This Matters for Workers

This case reinforces that employers must pay overtime wages they owe. While the employees' damages award was modest, they successfully held their employer accountable. The fee dispute highlights that workers pursuing wage theft claims should understand that attorney payment decisions can affect whether cases are worthwhile to pursue—though this case shows courts will correct clear errors in how fees are calculated.