Allen v. Accredited Home Lenders
The plaintiffs, Henson and Allen, filed a motion to compel discovery from the defendant, Accredited Homes Lenders. They sought the identity, last known address, and telephone numbers of loan officers and other employees at the defendant's Brentwood, Tennessee branch office where the plaintiffs worked. The plaintiffs argued this information was relevant to their claims regarding unpaid overtime under the FLSA, as co-workers would likely have knowledge of work hours and the defendant's compensation policies. The defendant opposed the motion, citing concerns about improper solicitation of potential class members, overbreadth, and privacy interests of the former employees. The Court granted the plaintiffs' motion to compel, finding the requested information relevant under Rule 26(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and that the privacy concerns did not outweigh the need for discovery. The Court ordered the defendant to provide the requested contact and employment information for employees from September 2003 to April 2005, excluding the address and phone number of any branch manager, and instructed plaintiffs' counsel to adhere to Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct regarding contact.