Wise Auto Group $1,007,367.62 Wage & Hour Settlement, Check If You Qualify for a Payment, File For Claim Before July 13, Huy Tran, et al. v. Wise Auto Group, et al., Case No. FCS055892

The Wise Auto Group wage and hour settlement — Huy Tran, et al. v. Wise Auto Group, et al., Case No. FCS055892 — is a class action filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Solano, where eligible non-exempt hourly and commission-paid dealership employees can receive an automatic pro-rata payment from a $1,007,367.62 gross settlement fund with no claim form required — checks will be mailed automatically to all participating class members after the court grants final approval.

Wise Auto Group California Wage & Hour Settlement — Key Facts

Field	Detail
Gross Settlement Amount	$1,007,367.62
Claim Form Required?	No — checks mailed automatically
Who Qualifies	Non-exempt hourly and commission-paid employees of Anthony A. Batarse, Inc., Lloyd A. Wise Motors, Inc., and/or Vallejo Nissan, Inc. (January 7, 2017 – July 30, 2025); and Wise Vision, Inc. (November 17, 2019 – July 30, 2025)
Payout Per Person	Pro-rata based on workweeks during class period — varies by individual
Opt-Out / Objection / Dispute Deadline	July 13, 2026
Settlement Status	Proposed — preliminary approval granted; pending final court approval
Court & Case Number	Superior Court of California, County of Solano, Case No. FCS055892
Specific Laws Alleged	California Labor Code (multiple sections); Business & Professions Code § 17200; PAGA
Final Approval Hearing	August 11, 2026 at 9:00 a.m., Dept. 3, Superior Court of California, County of Solano, 600 Union Ave., Fairfield, CA 94533
Settlement Administrator	Apex Class Action, LLC
Official Settlement Website	autodealershipsettlement.com
Last Updated	June 2, 2026

Where Does the Wise Auto Group California Wage & Hour Settlement Stand Today?

• The Solano County Superior Court authorized the class notice and preliminarily approved the settlement — the court has not yet decided whether to grant final approval.
• The final approval hearing is scheduled for August 11, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 3 of the Superior Court of California, County of Solano, located at 600 Union Ave., Fairfield, CA 94533.
• The deadline to opt out, object, or dispute your workweek or pay period count is July 13, 2026.

Who Is Wise Auto Group and Why Are They Facing a California Wage Lawsuit?

Wise Auto Group is a multi-location automotive dealership group operating across the greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area, with locations in Vacaville, Sacramento, Yuba City, and Vallejo, California. The group sells new and used vehicles under brands including Buick, GMC, Hyundai, INFINITI, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, and Volvo across California, Arizona, and Nevada. Dealerships of this scale rely heavily on large non-exempt hourly and commissioned workforces — sales associates, service technicians, parts staff, and support employees — all of whom are protected under California’s strict wage and hour laws. When those requirements are not followed across multiple locations, the impact on workers can stretch back years and affect hundreds of employees at once.

What Did Wise Auto Group Allegedly Do to California Dealership Employees Between 2017 and 2025?

Named plaintiffs Huy Tran, Soulinthong Soungpanya, and Jennifer Avila — former employees of various Wise Auto Group dealerships — filed this lawsuit on January 7, 2021, asserting that defendants violated multiple provisions of the California Labor Code by failing to properly pay minimum wages and overtime pay, failing to provide legally compliant meal and rest breaks and premium pay in lieu thereof, failing to timely pay wages during employment and upon termination, failing to provide accurate wage statements, failing to maintain required payroll records, failing to reimburse business expenses, engaging in unfair competition, and related claims.

The lawsuit also includes a representative claim for civil penalties under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), the state law that allows workers to sue on behalf of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA). Understanding how long employees have to bring these types of claims matters enormously in cases like this — the California wage and hour statute of limitations guide on AllAboutLawyer.com explains exactly how each claim type is timed under state law. A similar no-claim-form automatic payment structure was also used in the California AT&T Mobility employee wage and hour settlement, where eligible non-exempt employees received checks mailed directly without filing anything.

Defendants deny the allegations in the lawsuit and contend that they complied at all times with California law. The settlement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by defendants or an indication that any law was violated. The parties resolved this lawsuit through an experienced, neutral mediator to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation.

If you worked as a non-exempt hourly or commissioned employee at any of the Wise Auto Group dealerships in California between January 7, 2017, and July 30, 2025, this settlement was reached directly because of the working conditions you experienced.

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Are You Part of the Wise Auto Group California Wage & Hour Class Action?

Here is exactly how to know whether this settlement includes you.

You likely qualify if:

• You are a current or former non-exempt employee who was employed by Anthony A. Batarse, Inc., Lloyd A. Wise Motors, Inc., and/or Vallejo Nissan, Inc., and paid on an hourly or commission basis, at any time from January 7, 2017 through July 30, 2025
• You are a current or former non-exempt employee who was employed by Wise Vision, Inc., and paid on an hourly or commission basis, at any time from November 17, 2019 through July 30, 2025
• You worked at least one day during any workweek within those class periods at any dealership operated by these defendants

You do NOT qualify if:

• You were classified as an exempt salaried employee during your entire tenure
• Your employment fell entirely outside both class periods listed above
• You formally opt out before the July 13, 2026 deadline — though note you remain eligible for any individual PAGA payment even if you opt out of the class settlement

Wise Auto Group Dealership Employees Outside Solano County — Are You Still Covered?

Wise Auto Group operates across multiple California counties including Vacaville, Sacramento, Yuba City, and Vallejo. The class covers all current and former non-exempt employees who worked at dealerships operated by the named defendants during the relevant class periods — the case is a California state court action and is not limited by county of employment. If you worked at any qualifying Wise Auto Group location in California during the class period but have since moved or no longer work there, you are still part of the class.

If you are unsure whether you qualify for the Wise Auto Group California wage and hour settlement, a free consultation with an employment discrimination attorney can help you assess your situation before the July 13, 2026 deadline.

What Are Wise Auto Group Dealership Employees Asking the Court to Award in the 2021 Wage & Hour Case?

Defendants have agreed to pay $1,007,367.62 as the gross settlement amount to fully and finally resolve all claims in the lawsuit. Defendants will separately fund the amount of employer-side payroll taxes on top of that amount.

What Could Wise Auto Group California Dealership Employees Receive From This Wage & Hour Settlement?

From the gross settlement amount, the following deductions will be requested and are subject to court approval: attorneys’ fees of up to $335,789.21 plus actual litigation costs and expenses; class representative service awards of up to $15,000 each to named plaintiffs Huy Tran, Soulinthong Soungpanya, and Jennifer Avila; a PAGA allocation of $50,000 (of which $37,500 goes to the LWDA and $12,500 remains in the net settlement amount for class members); and settlement administration costs estimated up to $11,250.

After those deductions, the remaining net settlement amount is distributed entirely to participating class members — no portion of the net settlement amount is returned to defendants under any circumstances. Each class member’s individual share is calculated by dividing the net settlement amount by the total number of workweeks worked by all participating class members during the class periods, then multiplying by each individual class member’s workweeks. One day worked in a given workweek counts as a full workweek for this calculation.

The more workweeks you worked across any of the Wise Auto Group dealerships during the class period, the larger your individual payment. Your class notice shows the exact workweek count from defendants’ records and your estimated payment — review it carefully.

Tax note: 20% of each individual settlement payment is allocated to wages and will be reported on IRS Form W-2. The remaining 80% is allocated to penalties and interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099. Consult a tax professional about how this applies to your situation.

An employment discrimination attorney can help you evaluate whether your share of the net settlement amount is fair given your individual circumstances and whether opting out to pursue a separate claim makes more sense.

What Should Wise Auto Group Dealership Employees Do Right Now?

Step 1 — Do nothing to receive your payment. You do not need to file a claim form. If you do nothing and do not submit a timely request for exclusion, you will be mailed an individual settlement payment at the address on file with the settlement administrator after the court approves the settlement.

Step 2 — Update your mailing address immediately if you have moved. It is your responsibility to keep the settlement administrator informed of any change in your address. Contact Apex Class Action, LLC toll-free at 1-800-355-0700 or by email at [email protected], or mail your updated information to: Auto Dealership Class Action Settlement, Apex Class Action, LLC, PO Box 54668, Irvine, CA 92619.

Step 3 — Check your workweek and pay period count. Your class notice shows the dates of employment, number of workweeks, and pay periods attributed to you from defendants’ records. If you believe those figures are wrong, you must mail a written dispute to the settlement administrator postmarked no later than July 13, 2026, including your full name and address, the case name and number, a clear statement that you are disputing the figures, and the corrected dates or workweek count you believe is accurate, along with any supporting documents.

Step 4 — Decide whether to stay in, opt out, or object. Staying in gives you an automatic payment but releases your California wage and hour claims against these dealerships for the class periods. Opting out of the class settlement preserves your individual rights but means no individual settlement payment — though you remain eligible for any PAGA payment.

Step 5 — If you choose to opt out, mail a written request for exclusion to Apex Class Action, LLC, PO Box 54668, Irvine, CA 92619, postmarked no later than July 13, 2026. The request must include your full name, address, and last four digits of your Social Security number; your signature; the case name and number; and the statement: “I request to be excluded from this class action settlement. I have received notice of the settlement and understand that if I am excluded from the class action settlement, I will not receive any money as a result of the settlement.”

Step 6 — Cash your check promptly. Individual settlement payment checks that remain uncashed 180 calendar days after issuance will be voided, and the funds will be distributed to a nonprofit organization agreed to by the parties and approved by the court. If your check is lost, contact the administrator immediately for a replacement.

Should Wise Auto Group Class Members Opt Out or Object Before July 13, 2026?

What Does Opting Out of the Wise Auto Group Wage & Hour Settlement Mean for Your Rights?

If you exclude yourself from the class settlement, you will not receive an individual settlement payment and will not be bound by its terms — meaning you retain the right to sue defendants for the claims this settlement resolves, for the class periods. However, you cannot opt out of the PAGA portion of the settlement. Class members who exclude themselves remain eligible for individual PAGA payments and are required to give up their right to assert representative PAGA claims against defendants based on the allegations in plaintiffs’ PAGA notice. Most employees should not opt out unless they have significant individual damages worth pursuing separately, and they have already spoken with a California employment attorney.

How to Object to the Wise Auto Group Settlement Terms Before July 13, 2026

Only participating class members — those who do not opt out — have the right to object. To object, mail a written Notice of Objection to Apex Class Action, LLC, PO Box 54668, Irvine, CA 92619, postmarked no later than July 13, 2026. It must include your signature; your full legal name, home address, telephone number, and last four digits of your Social Security number; the case name and number; a clear statement that you wish to object; the basis for your objection; and whether you intend to appear at the final approval hearing. You can object to the settlement amount, the attorneys’ fees requested, or any other aspect. Speaking with a class action lawsuit attorney before July 13, 2026, is strongly recommended if you are considering objecting.

Wise Auto Group California Wage & Hour Lawsuit — Timeline

Milestone	Date
Class period begins (Batarse, Lloyd Wise Motors, Vallejo Nissan)	January 7, 2017
Class period begins (Wise Vision, Inc.)	November 17, 2019
Lawsuit filed, Case No. FCS055892	January 7, 2021
Class period / PAGA period ends (all defendants)	July 30, 2025
Preliminary approval granted	2026 (prior to notice mailing)
Opt-Out / Objection / Workweek Dispute Deadline	July 13, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	August 11, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
Expected payment distribution	TBD — after final approval and any appeals resolved

Wise Auto Group California Wage & Hour Settlement — Frequently Asked Questions, No. FCS055892

Is there a class action settlement against Wise Auto Group for California wage and hour violations?

Yes. Anthony A. Batarse, Inc., Lloyd A. Wise Motors, Inc., Vallejo Nissan, Inc., and Wise Vision, Inc. have agreed to a $1,007,367.62 class action settlement in Huy Tran, et al. v. Wise Auto Group, et al., Case No. FCS055892, pending in the Superior Court of California, County of Solano. The court will hold a final approval hearing on August 11, 2026.

Do I need to file a claim form to get a Wise Auto Group settlement payment?

No. You do not need to do anything to receive your payment. Once the court grants final approval, the settlement administrator will mail your individual settlement payment check to the last known address on file. You only need to act if you want to opt out, object, or dispute the workweek or pay period count shown on your class notice — all by July 13, 2026.

What specific California laws does the Wise Auto Group lawsuit allege were violated?

The lawsuit alleges violations of multiple provisions of the California Labor Code, including claims related to minimum wages, overtime pay, meal and rest break premiums, timely wage payments, accurate wage statements, payroll recordkeeping, and business expense reimbursement, as well as California Business & Professions Code Section 17200 and civil penalties under PAGA.

When will Wise Auto Group settlement checks be mailed to California dealership employees?

Settlement payments will be distributed only if the court grants final approval and all applicable conditions are satisfied. The court could reschedule the August 11, 2026 hearing without further notice — monitor autodealershipsettlement.com and the Solano County Superior Court website (portal.solano.courts.ca.gov) for updates by entering Case No. FCS055892.

Do I need a lawyer to participate in the Wise Auto Group settlement?

No. Class counsel — Nicholas A. Carlin, Brian S. Conlon, and Robert Carroll III of Phillips, Erlewine & Carlin LLP in San Francisco — represent all class members. Their fees, up to $335,789.21, plus actual litigation costs, will be paid from the gross settlement amount and are subject to court approval. You do not need your own attorney to receive your automatic payment.

Can I sue Wise Auto Group for my California wage and hour claims instead of joining this settlement?

Yes, but only if you formally opt out before July 13, 2026. Unless you exclude yourself, you give up any right to sue defendants for the claims this settlement resolves, for the class periods. If you have a pending lawsuit against these defendants, speak to your lawyer immediately — you must exclude yourself to continue your own case.

What happens if I do nothing?

If you do nothing, you will automatically receive your individual settlement payment mailed to the address on file, and you will be bound by the terms of the settlement and the release of claims described in the class notice.

How much could Wise Auto Group dealership employees receive from this California wage settlement?

Each class member’s share of the net settlement amount is proportional to the number of workweeks they worked during the applicable class period — one day worked in a given workweek counts as a full workweek for this calculation. Your class notice shows your estimated individual settlement payment based on defendants’ employment records. The actual amount may be slightly more or less than the estimate. An employment discrimination attorney can help you evaluate whether your estimated payment is fair given your individual situation and how many years you worked at these dealerships.

Sources Used in This Wise Auto Group Wage & Hour Settlement Article

Class Notice — Huy Tran, et al. v. Wise Auto Group, et al., Case No. FCS055892, Superior Court of California, County of Solano: https://autodealershipsettlement.com/case-documents.html

Official Settlement Website — autodealershipsettlement.com: https://autodealershipsettlement.com/index.html

Solano County Superior Court Case Access — Case No. FCS055892: https://portal.solano.courts.ca.gov/

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the class notice and settlement documents filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Solano, Case No. FCS055892. Last Updated: June 2, 2026

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.