PART II – OTHER INFORMATION
The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to various lawsuits and threatened lawsuits in the ordinary andnon-ordinary course of business. From time to time, such lawsuits and threatened lawsuits may include, but are not limited to, actions involving securities litigation, employment, wage-hour and labor law claims, consumer, lender liability claims and negligence claims, some of which may be styled as “class action” or representative cases. Some of these lawsuits may be similar in nature to other lawsuits pending against the Company’s competitors.
The Company was involved in several related actions entitledGlenda Morgan v. Citizens Business Bank, et al., Case No. BC568004, in the Superior Court for Los Angeles County, andJessica Osuna v. Citizens Business Bank, et al., Case No. CIVDS1501781, in the Superior Court for San Bernardino County, alleging wage and hour claims on behalf of the Company’s “exempt” and“non-exempt” hourly employees. These cases, which were consolidated in Los Angeles County Superior Court in April 2015, were styled as putative class action lawsuits and allege, among other things, that (i) the Company misclassified certain employees and managers as “exempt” employees, (ii) the Company violated California’s wage and hour, overtime, meal break and rest break rules and regulations, (iii) certain employees did not receive proper expense reimbursements, (iv) the Company did not maintain accurate and complete payroll records, and (v) the Company engaged in unfair business practices. Subsequently, related cases were filed by the same law firm representing Morgan and Osuna in the Superior Court for San Bernardino County, alleging (1) violations of the California Labor Code and seeking penalties under the California Private Attorney General Act of 2004 and (2) seeking a declaratory judgment that certain releases and arbitration agreements previously signed by CBB employees were invalid.
On November 28, 2016, the parties reached an agreement in principle to settle all of the related wage and hour class action lawsuits (“Wage-Hour Settlement”). Plaintiffs agreed to dismiss all their lawsuits with prejudice in exchange for the payment of $1.5 million to the putative class members, including attorneys’ fees and costs, but not including credit for monies previously paid to certain employees in exchange for releases and arbitration agreements in favor of the Company. Accordingly, as of the reporting period ending on December 31, 2017, the Company maintained a litigation accrual of $1.5 million in connection with this matter, and the Wage-Hour Settlement received final Court approval at a hearing on March 6, 2018. Following the Court’s final approval of the Wage-Hour Settlement, the settlement administrator appointed by the Court proceeded to disburse the agreed-upon settlement funds to the class members according to the respective calculation formulas set forth in the settlement agreement for exempt andnon-exempt employees, and, as of the end of this reporting period on March 31, 2018, this distribution process has been substantially completed.
For lawsuits where the Company has determined that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability representing the best estimate of the Company’s financial exposure based on known facts has been recorded in accordance with FASB guidance over loss contingencies (ASC 450). However, as a result of ambiguities and inconsistencies in the myriad laws applicable to the Company’s business, and the unique, complex factual issues presented in any given lawsuit, the Company often cannot determine the probability of loss or estimate the amount of damages which a plaintiff might successfully prove if the Company were found to be liable. For lawsuits or threatened lawsuits where a claim has been asserted or the Company has determined that it is probable that a claim will be asserted, and there is a reasonable possibility that the outcome will be unfavorable, the Company will disclose the existence of the loss contingency, even if the Company is not able to make an estimate of the possible loss or range of possible loss with respect to the action or potential action in question, unless the Company believes that the nature, potential magnitude or potential timing (if known) of the loss contingency is not reasonably likely to be material to the Company’s liquidity, consolidated financial position, and/or results of operations.
Our accruals and disclosures for loss contingencies are reviewed quarterly and adjusted as additional information becomes available. We disclose a loss contingency and/or the amount accrued if we believe it is reasonably likely to be material or if we believe such disclosure is necessary for our financial statements to not be misleading. If we determine that an exposure to loss exists in excess of an amount previously accrued or disclosed, we assess whether there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss, or additional loss, may have been incurred, and we adjust our accruals and disclosures accordingly.
We do not presently believe that the ultimate resolution of any lawsuits currently pending against the Company will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. The outcome of litigation and other legal and regulatory matters is inherently uncertain, however, and it is possible that one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened against the Company could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, consolidated financial position, and/or results of operations.
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