Williams v. Amazon.com Services LLC

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DAVID G WILLIAMS, Case No. 22-cv-01892-VC

Plaintiff,

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

v. CLASS CERTIFICATION

AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC, et al., Re: Dkt. No. 40 Defendants.

David Williams, an Amazon employee, contends the company violated the California Labor Code by failing to reimburse him and other employees for home internet expenses incurred during the first couple years of the COVID-19 pandemic. He has moved to certify a class of nearly 7,000 Amazon employees who worked from home in California at any time from March 15, 2020 through July 1, 2022. The motion is denied because Williams has not met his burden to show that common questions would predominate at trial. His principal theory of predominance—based on Amazon’s alleged “common policy” regarding reimbursement—is not supported by the record. And while his second theory of predominance—based on Amazon’s alleged knowledge that its employees were working from home and thus incurring home internet expenses—has more potential, it is inadequately expounded. Because it’s plausible that Williams could certify a class based on his…