No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Plaintiff prevailed on her wage theft claim under the FLSA and Arizona Minimum Wage Act by default judgment, recovering $264.00 in unpaid wages plus $4,165.00 in attorney fees and $475.00 in costs.
Verduzco v. Value Dental Centers Mesa West AZ LLC
What Happened
An employee at Value Dental Centers in Mesa, Arizona sued her employer for wage theft—meaning the company failed to pay her the wages she had earned. The worker filed the case in federal court in 2022.
What the Court Decided
The court ruled in favor of the employee. The employer didn't contest the claims, resulting in a default judgment (meaning the company lost by failing to respond properly). The worker recovered $264 in unpaid wages she was owed. Beyond that, the court ordered the employer to pay an additional $4,165 in attorney fees and $475 in court costs—totaling nearly $4,905 in damages.
Why This Matters for Workers
This case shows that workers have legal protection against wage theft under federal law (the Fair Labor Standards Act) and Arizona state law. When employers fail to pay earned wages, workers can sue and potentially recover not just the missing money, but also attorney fees and costs. This makes it financially risky for employers to withhold pay, and it means workers have a realistic path to justice even if they can't afford an attorney upfront.
This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.
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.