Magistrate Judge Cave Approves $132K Settlement for NYPD Officers in Manhattan Beer Wage Dispute

MANHATTAN (LN) — U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave on Thursday granted preliminary approval for a $0.13 million settlement class and collective action involving NYPD officers who performed work for Manhattan Beer Distributors LLC through the Police Department’s Preferred Delivery Program.

The settlement resolves claims that the beverage distributor failed to timely pay wages to officers who worked deliveries from January 23, 2019, through April 9, 2025.

The agreement defines a settlement class of 163 current and former officers, detectives, sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and inspectors. The FLSA collective action covers a narrower group of officers who worked for the distributor between January 23, 2022, and April 9, 2025, and who have filed consent forms.

Manhattan Beer will pay a gross settlement fund of $0.13 million. After deducting attorneys’ fees, costs, and service payments, the net allocation fund is estimated at $73,063.02.

Class members will recover approximately 65% of their potential wage damages. The settlement mirrors agreements previously approved by Cave in this case against other vendors, including Target, Mount Sinai Health System, and Yankee Global Enterprises.

Four named plaintiffs—Charlie Ruiz-Reyes, M. Mostayen Faysal, Julio Rosa, and Sudan Osario—will each receive $2,500 service awards.

Faruqi and Faruqi, LLP, is appointed as class counsel and may seek up to one-third of the gross settlement fund, or $44,031.51, in attorneys’ fees.

The court held the settlement fair, reasonable, and adequate, noting that the parties engaged in arm’s-length negotiations and exchanged employment records and damages calculations. The court also certified the class and collective, finding that common questions of law and fact predominate and that a class action is superior to other methods of adjudication.

The settlement includes a release of all wage-and-hour claims under New York state and city law, as well as federal FLSA claims, arising from the officers’ work for Manhattan Beer through the Preferred Delivery Program.

A fairness hearing is scheduled for October 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 18A at the federal courthouse at 500 Pearl Street.

Class members have 60 days mailing of the notice to submit claim forms or opt out of the settlement.