Supreme Court of Connecticut
Rodriguez v. Kaiaffa, LLC
October 6, 2020337 Conn. 248
Summary
The court affirmed certification of a class of restaurant servers alleging that the defendants unlawfully applied a tip credit to time spent performing nonservice side work. It held that merits questions need be resolved at certification only insofar as they bear on the class-certification requirements, and that common proof, representative testimony, and the employer's burden concerning the tip credit supported commonality, predominance, and superiority. The court also upheld the class definition and concluded that the plaintiff's employer and standing issues did not defeat certification.