Manuel de Jesus Altamirano-Santiago v. Better Produce, Inc.

I. BACKGROUND

3 The court has set forth the basic facts of the case in its prior Orders, (See Dkts. 46, 4 84, 90). In relevant part, Plaintiffs are “agricultural workers imported from Mexico by 5 Defendants to work in Defendants’ strawberry fields.” (Dkt. 98, First Amended Compl. 6 (“FAC”) ¶ 1.) Defendants are Rancho del Mar, Better Produce, Inc., C.J.J. Farming, Inc., 7 all California corporations with their principal place of business in Santa Maria, 8 California, and Juan Cisneros, Chief Executive Officer of all corporate defendants 9 (collectively, “Defendants”). (Id. ¶¶ 14-18.) Plaintiffs bring this action against Defendants claiming violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), 29 U.S.C. § 209(a), violations of California’s Labor Code, violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law, and breach of contract. (See FAC.) On July 30, 2019, the court granted conditional certification of the FLSA action and approved the proposed FLSA notice to putative opt-in members. (Dkt. 46.) On November 4, 2019, the court heard oral argument on Plaintiffs’ motion for leave to proceed by pseudonym. (Dkt. 81.) During oral argument for…