Tri-State CareFlight unpaid overtime $350K class action lawsuit settlement

Tri-State CareFlight LLC and Blake A. Stamper have agreed to pay $350,000 to settle a class action lawsuit alleging they failed to pay some of their pilots all of the wages they were owed.

Flight pilots employed by Tri-State CareFlight who worked in New Mexico from Sept. 11, 2010, to Jan. 19, 2016, may be entitled to compensation from the class action settlement.

This Tri-State CareFlight settlement will resolve two class action lawsuits that allege pilots employed by Tri-State CareFlight in New Mexico were not paid all of the wages they were owed.

Tri-State CareFlight unlawfully failed to pay pilots additional compensation if they worked more than 12 hours during their shift, according to the unpaid wages class action lawsuit. As a result, the defendants were unjustly enriched by their failure to pay the wages owed and should be required to pay pilots for the additional time they worked without pay, the plaintiffs argued.

Tri-State CareFlight and Stamper deny any wrongdoing but agreed to settle the class action lawsuit to avoid the burden and expense of ongoing litigation. The defendants maintain they complied with all applicable laws regarding pilots’ pay.

Tri-State CareFlight is an air medical transport service that serves New Mexico and western Arizona. According to its website, the CareFlight missions feature highly trained medical teams who provide lifesaving interventions to patients, significantly improving their outcomes.

Settlement payments will be calculated individually based on a review of Tri-State’s payroll records to determine how much compensation each class member is owed. The settlement notice estimates class members will receive about 81.41% of the allegedly unpaid wages.

The Tri-State CareFlight class action settlement was preliminarily approved May 25, 2022.

A final approval hearing is scheduled for Sept. 27, 2022.

Class members who wish to object to or exclude themselves from the Tri-State CareFlight class action settlement must do so no later than July 25, 2022.

Payments will be sent to class members upon receipt of a signed release and a completed W9 tax form, according to the settlement notice. No deadline is specified for the submission of these documents.

Who’s Eligible

Flight pilots employed by Tri-State CareFlight who worked in New Mexico from Sept. 11, 2010, to Jan. 19, 2016, may be entitled to compensation from the class action settlement.

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable

Objection and Exclusion Deadline

07/25/2022

Case Name

Basnet, et al., vs. Tri-State Careflight, LLC, and Blake A. Stamper, Defendants; Case No. 1:14-cv-01044-JB-KBM, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico

Bell, et al., VS. Tri-State Careflight, LLC, and Blake A. Stamper, Defendants; Case No. 2:17-cv-00796-JB-CG, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico

Final Hearing

10/27/2022

Settlement Website

NMPilotSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Tri-State CareFlight Settlement Administrator
c/o Rust Consulting Inc., – 7664
P.O. Box 2396
Faribault MN 55021-9096
[email protected]

Class Counsel

Christopher M Moody
Repps D Stanford
MOODY & STANFORD PC

Defense Counsel

Charles J Vigil
Samantha M Hults
RODEY DICKASON SLOAN AKIN & ROBB PA