$360K West Coast Self Storage Shorted Property Managers on Overtime Settlement, Here’s How to Get Paid Before May 11

If you worked as an hourly property manager for West Coast Self Storage Group at any location outside California between June 1, 2022, and May 15, 2025, your former employer may owe you money. WCSS agreed to pay up to $360,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to pay property managers for all hours worked, and that it failed to include certain non-discretionary bonuses and other pay when calculating overtime rates — a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The deadline to file your claim is May 11, 2026, and checks go out starting June 1, 2026.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$360,000
Claim Deadline	May 11, 2026
Who Qualifies	Non-exempt, hourly property managers at WCSS locations outside California, June 1, 2022 – May 15, 2025
Payout Per Person	Pro rata based on qualifying workweeks
Proof Required	No — CPT ID and passcode from notice required
Settlement Status	Open for Claims
Administrator	CPT Group, Inc.
Official Website	wcsscollectiveaction.com

Where Things Stand Right Now

• The case, Darling, et al. v. West Coast Self Storage Group, Case No. CACE26001763, is pending in the Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Florida.
• The settlement is open for claims right now. The claim filing deadline is May 11, 2026 — by U.S. mail postmark or online/email submission.
• The settlement administrator will mail checks beginning June 1, 2026.

WCSS Was Paying Overtime — Just Not Correctly

West Coast Self Storage operates self-storage facilities across multiple states. The company employs property managers at individual facilities to handle day-to-day operations — people working hourly, on-site, managing units, customers, and facility upkeep.

Plaintiffs Andrew Darling and Cheyenne Althouse filed the lawsuit on January 29, 2026, seeking confirmation of an arbitrator’s approval of a settlement to resolve allegations that WCSS failed to pay property managers for all hours worked and failed to include certain non-discretionary bonuses and other pay in the regular rate of pay for purposes of calculating overtime.

That second part — the “regular rate of pay” issue — is the core of the case. Under federal wage law, overtime must be calculated on the employee’s true regular rate, which includes non-discretionary bonuses, shift differentials, and certain other pay — not just the base hourly wage. 

When a company pays a weekly bonus on top of regular hours but then calculates overtime using only the base rate, employees end up receiving less overtime than the law requires. The lawsuit alleged that is exactly what WCSS did. The company denies the allegations and maintains that it acted lawfully at all times, but entered the settlement to avoid the time and resources associated with continued litigation.

You Worked at a WCSS Facility Outside California — Here’s Whether You’re Covered

This is a tightly defined collective. You may qualify if all three of the following apply:

• You may qualify if you worked as a non-exempt, hourly-paid property manager for West Coast Self Storage Group — salaried or exempt employees are not included.
• You may qualify if your facility was located outside California — California employees were covered under a separate legal settlement framework and are not part of this collective.
• You may qualify if you worked at least one week between June 1, 2022, and May 15, 2025 in that property manager role.

The settlement administrator identified eligible collective members based on WCSS’s own payroll records, so if you were employed as a qualifying property manager, you should have received a notice letter with a CPT ID and passcode from CPT Group. If you believe you qualify but did not receive a notice, contact CPT Group immediately at 1-888-977-0761 or [email protected] — the deadline is May 11, 2026 and there is no time to wait.

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Your Pay Will Reflect How Many Weeks You Worked — Here’s the Full Fund Breakdown

Your individual payment depends on one thing: how many qualifying workweeks you logged as a property manager at a non-California WCSS facility during the collective period. More weeks worked means a larger share of the net settlement fund.

After deducting court-approved attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses of $140,000, court-approved general release payments of $10,000 to the named plaintiffs, and payroll taxes, the remaining amount will be allocated among property managers in the settlement collective based on the number of weeks they worked outside California during the relevant period.

Here is the full $360,000 fund breakdown before your share is calculated:

Deduction	Amount
Attorneys’ fees, costs & expenses	$140,000
Named plaintiff service awards	$10,000 (total)
Payroll taxes	TBD
Net fund to property managers	Remainder

One important tax note: the settlement administrator will treat half of each payment as wages — subject to payroll tax withholding and reported on a W-2 — and half as non-wage income, reported on a 1099 form. You will receive both forms and will need to report this income when you file your taxes.

You Have 41 Days Left — Here’s Exactly How to File

Step 1 — Locate the notice letter you received from CPT Group. It contains your CPT ID and passcode, which you need to access the online claim form.

Step 2 — Go to wcsscollectiveaction.com and click “Submit Claim Form.” Log in with your CPT ID and passcode to complete the online form.

Step 3 — If you prefer paper, download the PDF claim form at wcsscollectiveaction.com/Content/Docs/Claim%20Form.pdf, complete it, and mail it to: Darling v. West Coast Self Storage, c/o CPT Group Inc., PO Box 19504, Irvine, CA 92623. Your envelope must be postmarked no later than May 11, 2026.

Step 4 — You can also submit the completed PDF by email to [email protected] — email submissions must be received by May 11, 2026.

Step 5 — If you’ve moved since you worked at WCSS, update your mailing address with CPT Group now so your check reaches you. Class members who move after they file their claim must also contact the settlement administrator to ensure they receive payment.

Step 6 — Save your submission confirmation. Checks are void if not cashed within 120 days of issuance, and unclaimed funds revert to WCSS — so watch your mail after June 1, 2026.

Estimated time to complete: 10–15 minutes.

The Timeline From Arbitration Win to Payday

Milestone	Date
Collective period begins	June 1, 2022
Collective period ends	May 15, 2025
Lawsuit filed to confirm arbitration settlement	January 29, 2026
Case filed (No. CACE26001763, Broward County, FL)	January 29, 2026
Claims period opens	March 2026
Claim filing deadline	May 11, 2026
Settlement checks mailed	June 1, 2026
Check expiration (void after)	120 days from issuance

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim? 

No. You file directly through the CPT Group claim portal at wcsscollectiveaction.com using the CPT ID and passcode from your notice letter. Class counsel already negotiated the settlement on behalf of all collective members. You do not need your own attorney to claim your share.

Is this West Coast Self Storage settlement legitimate?

 Yes. The case is Darling, et al. v. West Coast Self Storage Group, Case No. CACE26001763, filed in the Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Florida. CPT Group, Inc. is the court-appointed settlement administrator. The official website is wcsscollectiveaction.com.

When will I receive my payment? 

The settlement administrator will mail checks beginning June 1, 2026, after the claim deadline passes and payments are calculated. Make sure your address on file with CPT Group is current before that date.

What if I missed the claim deadline?

 The claim filing deadline is May 11, 2026. If you do not timely return a properly completed claim form, you will not give up any rights, but you will not receive any monetary payment under the settlement. In other words, missing the deadline means missing your payment — but you retain the right to pursue your own legal action against WCSS for these wage claims.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes? 

Yes, partially. The settlement administrator will treat half your payment as wages reported on a W-2 and half as non-wage income reported on a 1099. The wages portion will have payroll taxes withheld before you receive it. You should report both amounts when you file your tax return. Consult a tax professional if you have questions about how this affects your specific tax situation.

I worked at a California WCSS location — does this settlement cover me? 

No. This collective covers only property managers at WCSS facilities outside California. California employees have separate and stronger wage-and-hour protections under state law and are not part of this settlement. If you worked in California and believe WCSS owes you wages, consult an employment attorney about your separate rights under California law.

What rights do I give up if I file a claim?

 By filing a claim, you agree to release all wage and hour claims under the FLSA or any other state wage and hour law relating to your employment as a property manager from June 1, 2022 to February 3, 2026, including claims for penalties, interest, liquidated damages, and attorneys’ fees. You will be permanently barred from pursuing those specific claims against WCSS in the future.

I didn’t receive a notice letter but I worked as a WCSS property manager — can I still file?

 Possibly. Contact CPT Group at 1-888-977-0761 or [email protected] immediately to find out if you appear in WCSS’s payroll records as an eligible collective member. If you qualify but were missed, CPT Group can provide you with a CPT ID and passcode to complete your claim before the May 11, 2026 deadline.

Sources & References

• Official Settlement Website: wcsscollectiveaction.com
• Official Class Notice (PDF): wcsscollectiveaction.com/Content/Docs/Notice.pdf
• Settlement Agreement (PDF): wcsscollectiveaction.com/Content/Docs/Settlement%20Agreement%20&%20Release.pdf
• Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit, Broward County, Florida — Case No. CACE26001763

Last Updated: March 31, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.