Update in Unpaid Wages Lawsuit Against Crown Equipment Corporation

Our wage and hour attorneys are today announcing a major update in the ongoing unpaid overtime wages lawsuit against Crown Equipment Corporation. The Court has recently ordered that notice of the lawsuit be sent out to all eligible current and former production/manufacturing employees.

What Does This Mean for Me?

The Court has ordered that notice of the lawsuit be sent to all eligible current and former production and manufacturing employees of Crown Equipment who worked for at least 40 hours in any workweek since September 2, 2022 through the present who either (A) had a meal break of 20 minutes or fewer deducted from their hours worked or (B) put on anti-static work clothing and equipment. These employees are eligible to join this lawsuit. Only those individuals who join the lawsuit by returning the Consent Form will be eligible to receive a portion of any settlement or judgment that is reached in the case.

The eligible Crown Equipment employees worked at the following locations:

• Plant 3 (New Bremen, Ohio)
• Plant 4 (New Bremen, Ohio)
• Plant 5 (New Bremen, Ohio)
• Plant 7 (New Bremen, Ohio)
• Plant 8 (New Bremen, Ohio)
• Plant 10 (New Bremen, Ohio)
• Plant 14 (New Bremen, Ohio)
• Greencastle, Indiana
• New Castle, Indiana
• Celina, Ohio
• Minster, Ohio
• New Knoxville, Ohio
• Troy, Ohio

This notice will be sent to all eligible Crown Equipment manufacturing/production employees by text message and U.S. mail, and the consent form attached to the notice must be returned by the deadline included in the notice and consent form to join the case.

Crown Equipment Has Agreed to Discuss a Settlement

In addition to this notice being sent to all of the eligible employees, Crown Equipment has informed the Court that it will be pursuing settlement negotiations for every eligible employee who chooses to join the case by returning the consent form attached to the notice. In other words, in order to be included in these settlement discussions, you must return the consent form that was attached with the notice by the deadline.

What Could I Receive If I Join the Lawsuit?

If you are eligible to participate in the lawsuit and choose to join, you will be entitled to share in any settlement or judgment that is obtained. If we can demonstrate that you were not properly paid for all overtime work performed for one or more reason(s), the law provides that you could receive the following: (1) unpaid overtime for up to the last three years of work; (2) liquidated damages in an amount equal to the unpaid overtime (i.e., the potential for double [2x or 200%] damages); and (3) attorneys’ fees and costs paid by Crown. Crown has already agreed to go to a settlement negotiation after the deadline to join the lawsuit has passed for everyone that chose to join the case.

Can Crown Equipment Retaliate Against You for Joining the Lawsuit?

Please understand that it is illegal for Crown Equipment to retaliate against you for joining this Case, or to discourage you from joining it. Any retaliation that you suffer from Crown Equipment may result in you having additional claims against the company for further compensation. If you feel as though you have been retaliated against or discouraged from joining this Case, please reach out to our office to discuss your legal rights.

What If I Did Not Receive a Notice and Consent Form?

If you did not receive a copy of the Court-Approved Notice, that does not necessarily mean that you cannot participate in the lawsuit. The notice is being sent by mail and text message. Crown Equipment may not have provided your current mailing address or phone number, or the notice may get lost in the mail.

If you believe that you are eligible to join this lawsuit against Crown Equipment but did not receive the Court-Approved Notice or Consent Forms, you should contact our experienced unpaid overtime attorneys at 614-618-4652 or by sending an email to contact@mcoffmanlegal.com to discuss next steps.