Linquist

FACTS

A. Class Action Complaint and Motion for Class Certification: In her second amended complaint, Linquist asserted causes of action for failure to pay overtime, failure to provide meal and rest periods, failure to provide itemized statements, failure to pay wages on termination, failure to pay wages twice monthly, and unlawful competition and business practices, as well as a cause of action based on the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (Lab. Code, § 2698 et seq.). In her motion for class certification, Linquist sought certification of two classes: (1) persons who had worked as buyers, senior buyers, domestic buyers, or international buyers, and were misclassified as exempt employees; and (2) persons who had worked for Extron as nonexempt employees. She designated 10 subclasses. The first subclass consisted only of buyers and was labeled “Overtime — Buyers Misclassification Subclass.” She characterized this subclass as buyers who were misclassified as exempt employees and were not paid overtime pay. She did not allege that these buyers had any claims other than overtime claims. Her nine other subclasses all consisted of persons who had “worked as non- exempt…