The Stepping Stones Group lawsuit refers to a landmark California wage and hour class action — Jenelle Olea et al. v. The Stepping Stones Group LLC et al. — in which current and former hourly employees alleged systematic labor violations across multiple company subsidiaries. The Stepping Stones Group agreed to a $4,250,000 settlement to resolve the claims. The primary settlement’s claim deadline was March 15, 2024, and the final court approval hearing took place on April 12, 2024 — meaning the Olea settlement is now closed. However, a new and separate lawsuit (Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group) was filed in Riverside County Superior Court in July 2025, signaling that legal scrutiny of the company continues.
Quick Answer: The Stepping Stones Group settled a California wage and hour class action for $4.25 million. The settlement covered hourly, non-exempt employees in California from April 16, 2018, through September 2, 2023. The claim deadline (March 15, 2024) and final approval hearing (April 12, 2024) have both passed. Settlement checks were mailed to participating class members following final court approval. A new, separate lawsuit was filed against the company in July 2025 and remains pending.
This guide covers everything you need to know: who was affected, what the allegations were, how much money was available, how payments were calculated, and what’s happening with the company’s ongoing legal battles in 2025 and 2026. ASAP Tickets Lawsuit 2026
What Is the Stepping Stones Group Lawsuit About?
Background of the Lawsuit
The Stepping Stones Group LLC is a Boston-based private equity-backed staffing and services company founded in 2014. It provides special education support, applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism, school nursing, speech-language pathology, and related therapeutic services across more than 45 states. In December 2021, the company was acquired by Leonard Green & Partners, a major private equity firm. Through a series of acquisitions, the company grew rapidly — absorbing EBS Healthcare, Autism Intervention Professionals, STAR of CA, and Behavioral Learning Center, among others.
The growth brought scrutiny. Former employees in California began reporting serious problems: they were allegedly being paid only for their scheduled hours — not their actual hours worked. Therapists and behavioral health staff who worked with clients in school and home settings were reportedly required to perform administrative tasks off the clock, drive between client locations without mileage or time compensation, and go without legally required meal and rest breaks.
Lead plaintiff Jenelle Olea, a former employee, alleged that she regularly performed work-related tasks after her scheduled hours ended, drove between client homes and school placements without compensation, and had no way to record her actual hours because the company’s systems only tracked scheduled time. Her experience, the lawsuit alleged, was shared by a large class of similarly situated hourly workers.
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| April 16, 2018 | Class Period Begins | Start date for all class action claims |
| March 2021 | EBS Healthcare Acquired | Stepping Stones Group acquires Pennsylvania-based EBS Healthcare |
| December 2021 | Private Equity Ownership Changes | Leonard Green & Partners acquires The Stepping Stones Group |
| 2022 | Employee Complaints Escalate | Former employees begin organizing claims about wage/hour violations |
| October 11, 2022 | Lawsuit Filed | Jenelle Olea files class and PAGA action in San Diego Superior Court |
| 2022–2023 | Discovery Phase | Parties exchange records; court denies defendants’ motions to compel arbitration |
| September 2, 2023 | Class Period Ends | Last date covered by the Olea settlement class |
| December 8, 2023 | Settlement Reached | Parties agree to $4,250,000 gross settlement |
| Early 2024 | Class Notices Mailed | CPT Group (administrator) sends notice to all class members |
| March 15, 2024 | Response Deadline (PASSED) | Last day to file, opt out, or object |
| April 12, 2024 | Final Approval Hearing | San Diego Superior Court, Dept. 66 — settlement approved |
| Mid-2024 | Settlement Disbursement | CPT Group mails checks to participating class members |
| July 10, 2025 | New Lawsuit Filed | Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group filed in Riverside County |
| March 2026 | Ongoing Legal Scrutiny | Miller case pending; company continues expansion |
Who Filed the Lawsuit?
The lead plaintiffs were Jenelle Olea and Nicole Foerst (the Foerst case was filed separately in Sonoma County Superior Court, Case No. SCV-271936, and consolidated with the Olea case). They were represented by class counsel who filed the consolidated action in the San Diego County Superior Court under Case No. 37-2022-00040884-CU-OE-CTL.
The named defendants were:
- The Stepping Stones Group LLC (primary defendant)
- Autism Intervention Professionals, LLC
- EBS Healthcare Staffing Services, Inc.
- EBS Healthcare, LLC
- STAR of CA, LLC
- Behavioral Learning Center, Inc.
All six entities were treated as a unified group of employers for purposes of the class definition.
What Were the Allegations?
The complaint laid out eight separate categories of California Labor Code violations. These weren’t vague claims — each one pointed to a specific legal provision and a specific way employees were harmed.
The key allegations against The Stepping Stones Group and its affiliates were:
- Failure to pay all minimum wages (Labor Code §§ 1194, 1194.2, 1197) — Employees were paid for scheduled hours only, not actual hours worked, resulting in sub-minimum pay for off-clock time.
- Failure to pay overtime (Labor Code §§ 204, 510, 558, 1194, 1198) — Overtime hours performed outside scheduled shifts went unrecorded and uncompensated.
- Failure to provide meal periods and pay premiums (Labor Code §§ 226.7, 512, 558, 1198) — Employees regularly missed 30-minute meal breaks and were not paid the mandatory one-hour premium.
- Failure to provide rest periods and pay premiums (Labor Code §§ 226.7, 516, 668, 1198) — Required 10-minute rest breaks were missed or skipped, again without the legally required premium pay.
- Untimely payment of wages (Labor Code §§ 201–204, 210, 216, 218) — Wages weren’t paid on time during employment, and final paychecks at separation were delayed.
- Inaccurate wage statements (Labor Code § 226(a)(1) and (5)) — Pay stubs reflected incorrect hours, inaccurate rates, and wrong overtime calculations, obscuring the underpayments.
- Failure to reimburse business expenses — Employees drove between client sites and were not compensated for that travel time or mileage.
- PAGA violations — All of the above also triggered penalties under California’s Private Attorneys General Act for the PAGA period of September 30, 2021 through September 2, 2023. West Capital Lending Lawsuit
Who Qualified for the Stepping Stones Group Settlement?
Quick Answer: You qualified if you were an hourly, non-exempt employee of The Stepping Stones Group LLC or any of its California-operating affiliates between April 16, 2018 and September 2, 2023, and had not previously signed an individual release agreement with the company. The claim deadline of March 15, 2024 has passed. If you received a class notice and did not opt out, you were automatically a participating class member.
Eligibility Requirements
| Requirement | Details | Documentation Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Type | Hourly, non-exempt (not salaried or exempt) | Employment records, pay stubs |
| Employer | TSG LLC, Autism Intervention Professionals, EBS Healthcare Staffing, EBS Healthcare LLC, STAR of CA, or Behavioral Learning Center | Offer letter, W-2, or tax records |
| State | Must have worked in California | Work location records |
| Time Period | At least some work between April 16, 2018 and September 2, 2023 | Employment dates on records |
| No Prior Release | Must not have signed an individual release with defendants by September 2, 2023 | N/A |
Who Did NOT Qualify?
Certain workers were excluded from the settlement class:
- Employees classified as exempt (salaried managers, executives, certain professionals)
- Workers who had already signed individual release agreements with the defendants on or before September 2, 2023
- Employees of affiliated entities who did not work in the state of California
- Any person who opted out of the class by submitting a Request for Exclusion before the March 15, 2024 deadline (those individuals preserved their right to sue individually)
- Out-of-state employees, even if employed by the same parent company
PAGA Subclass
A separate, smaller group was eligible for additional PAGA payments: class members who worked during the PAGA Period of September 30, 2021 through September 2, 2023. These workers received a proportional share of the $25,000 individual PAGA payment pool, on top of their regular class payment.
How Much Money Was Available in the Settlement?
Quick Answer: The gross settlement fund was $4,250,000. After attorney fees, administration costs, and the PAGA payment to the state, approximately $2.6 million was available to distribute to class members. Each worker’s payment was proportional to their number of workweeks during the class period.
Settlement Fund Breakdown
| Category | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Settlement Fund | $4,250,000 | Total amount The Stepping Stones Group agreed to pay |
| Attorney Fees (33.33%) | $1,416,525 | Class counsel’s legal fees |
| Litigation Costs | Up to $50,000 | Out-of-pocket litigation expenses |
| Administration Expenses | Up to $55,000 | CPT Group’s claims administration fees |
| PAGA Payment to LWDA | $75,000 | 75% of $100,000 PAGA allocation → California Labor & Workforce Development Agency |
| Individual PAGA Payments | $25,000 | 25% of PAGA allocation → PAGA-period class members |
| Class Representative Payments | $20,000 | Service awards to Jenelle Olea, Nicole Foerst, and other named representatives |
| Estimated Net to Class Members | ~$2,608,475 | Available for distribution to all participating class members |
How Individual Payments Were Calculated
The Stepping Stones Group settlement didn’t use tiered claim categories. Instead, payouts were calculated using a workweek formula:
- The administrator (CPT Group) divided the net settlement amount by the total workweeks worked by all participating class members during the class period.
- Each class member’s share equaled that per-workweek value multiplied by their individual number of workweeks.
This means a worker who was employed for three years in California received a proportionally larger check than someone who worked for six months — which is standard for this type of wage and hour class action.
PAGA Period Bonus
Workers who also worked during the PAGA period (September 30, 2021 – September 2, 2023) received a second, smaller payment from the $25,000 individual PAGA pool, calculated proportionally based on their pay periods worked during that narrower window.
Tax Treatment
- Wages portion of the payment: Reported on a W-2 form
- Non-wage penalties portion: Reported on an IRS 1099 form
- PAGA payments: Reported on a 1099 form
Workers who received payments should consult a tax professional if they have questions about how to treat the income.
How the Filing Process Worked (Settlement Now Closed)
The response deadline of March 15, 2024 has passed. The settlement is now closed to new claims. However, understanding the process is still valuable — especially for workers who may receive future class notices in the Miller case or other ongoing litigation.
Here’s how the Olea settlement worked:
Step 1 — Notice Mailed: CPT Group, the third-party administrator, mailed a class notice to every person in the defendants’ employment records who appeared to qualify.
Step 2 — Workweek Calculation: The notice included CPT Group’s calculation of your workweeks. You had until the March 15, 2024 deadline to challenge that number if you believed it was wrong.
Step 3 — Response Options: By March 15, 2024, class members could:
- Do nothing → automatically become a participating class member and receive payment
- Challenge workweek calculation → submit a letter with supporting documentation
- Opt out → complete and mail/email a Request for Exclusion form to preserve your right to sue individually
- Object → submit a written objection to the administrator
Step 4 — Final Approval Hearing: April 12, 2024 at 9:30 a.m., San Diego Superior Court, Dept. 66, 330 W Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101. The court approved the settlement at this hearing.
Step 5 — Disbursement: After the judgment became final and the defendants funded the settlement, CPT Group mailed a single check to each participating class member at their address on file.
Critical Deadlines (All Now Passed)
| Deadline Type | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Response / Claim Deadline | March 15, 2024 | ✅ Passed |
| Workweek Challenge Deadline | March 15, 2024 | ✅ Passed |
| Opt-Out Deadline | March 15, 2024 | ✅ Passed |
| Written Objection Deadline | March 15, 2024 | ✅ Passed |
| Final Approval Hearing | April 12, 2024, 9:30 AM | ✅ Completed |
| Settlement Disbursement | Mid-2024 (estimated) | ✅ Completed |
Questions About Your Check? Contact the Administrator
If you were a class member and:
- Never received your check
- Have questions about the payment amount
- Need to report a change of address from when the check was mailed
You can reach the settlement administrator:
CPT Group, Inc. 50 Corporate Park, Irvine, CA 92606
- Toll-Free: 1-888-919-4077
- Email: [email protected]
- Fax: (949) 419-3446
- Settlement Website: www.cptgroupcaseinfo.com/SSGSettlement/
Current Lawsuit Status & 2025–2026 Updates
The Olea Settlement: Concluded
The Olea settlement received final court approval on April 12, 2024. The defendants — The Stepping Stones Group LLC and its affiliates — funded the settlement, and CPT Group distributed checks to participating class members. Any class member who participated in the settlement and accepted payment has released their wage and hour claims against the defendants for the class period.
Workers who opted out of the Olea class preserved their right to pursue individual claims, but those individual windows are now very narrow given California’s statutes of limitations.
New Lawsuit: Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group (2025)
Despite the Olea settlement, a brand new class action lawsuit was filed against The Stepping Stones Group in July 2025. Key details:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Case Name | Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group |
| Lead Plaintiff | Jeffery George Miller |
| Law Firm | Bibiyan Law Group |
| Court | California Superior Court, Riverside County |
| Filed | July 10, 2025 |
| Case Type | Labor & Employment — Class Action |
| Status | Pending |
| Defendants | The Stepping Stones Group LLC; Does 1–100 |
The Miller case is currently in its early stages. Bibiyan Law Group, a California firm that specializes in wage and hour class actions, is handling the case. If you currently work or recently worked as an hourly employee of The Stepping Stones Group in California (particularly in Riverside County or the surrounding area), you may be a potential class member in this new lawsuit. No settlement has been announced, and no claim deadline has been set.
Coordination of Related Cases
In 2023 and 2024, separate PAGA actions were also filed by Kristina Dubberke, Guadalupe Izaguirre, and Hailie Brennand, which were coordinated with the main Olea case. These involved Behavioral Learning Center Inc. and other subsidiaries. The San Diego court handled coordination motions through at least August 2024. Is Instant Dream Home Fake?
Company Context: Continued Growth Despite Legal Issues
The Stepping Stones Group continues to grow rapidly:
- In March 2025, the company acquired Gallagher Pediatric Therapy, a California-based provider.
- In August 2025, the company completed a buyout/LBO of Southern Kentucky Speech Therapy.
- As of early 2026, the company has approximately 11,000 employees and operates in 45+ states.
- The company has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for eight consecutive years.
This rapid growth through private equity ownership is precisely what critics and worker advocates point to when explaining the pattern of labor violations — a staffing model that expands aggressively without adequate wage compliance infrastructure.
The Stepping Stones Group Lawsuit vs. Similar Cases
| Case | Settlement | Class Size (Est.) | Violations | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olea v. The Stepping Stones Group | $4.25 million | Thousands of CA employees | Wage/hour, meal/rest, PAGA | ✅ Settled (2024) |
| Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group | TBD | Riverside County employees | Labor & Employment | 🔴 Pending (2025) |
| Dubberke v. Behavioral Learning Center | Coordinated with Olea | BLC-specific employees | Wage/hour, PAGA | Resolved via coordination |
| Typical CA wage/hour staffing settlements | $1M–$10M | Varies | Meal/rest, OT, paycheck | Varies |
What Made the Olea Case Notable?
A few things set this lawsuit apart from the average California wage dispute:
Private equity scrutiny: The case drew attention from labor advocates and researchers because it highlighted how PE-backed staffing companies can pursue rapid geographic expansion through acquisitions while exposing workers to systematic labor violations. The Private Equity Stakeholder Project specifically cited this settlement in a November 2025 report on outsourced special education services.
Multi-entity structure: Rather than a single employer, the class covered six different corporate entities that all operated as a unified workforce under The Stepping Stones Group umbrella. This is common in PE-backed roll-up strategies and often complicates workers’ ability to identify their true employer.
Off-clock work in clinical settings: The nature of the work — traveling to client homes, completing clinical documentation, and driving between school sites — made it especially prone to off-clock time disputes, since workers often had no formal mechanism to report hours outside their scheduled shifts.
Do You Need a Lawyer for the Stepping Stones Group Cases?
Quick Answer: For the Olea settlement, the claim period has ended and you don’t need a lawyer to check on your payment. For the newer Miller case, you don’t need to hire a lawyer to potentially become a class member — class actions are designed so workers are automatically included unless they opt out. However, if you believe you have unique circumstances or were a high-earning employee with substantial unpaid wages, a free consultation with an employment attorney is worth pursuing.
When You Probably Don’t Need a Lawyer
- You just want to know if you’ll receive a payment from the Olea settlement → contact CPT Group directly
- You want to know if you’re in the Miller class → wait for official notice if/when that case settles
- You have general questions about your rights → the California Labor Commissioner’s website has free resources
When Legal Help Makes Sense
Consider speaking with an employment attorney if:
- You opted out of the Olea settlement and want to pursue individual claims (time is short)
- You believe your workweek count in the Olea settlement was miscalculated and want to appeal
- You currently work for The Stepping Stones Group and believe you’re experiencing wage violations right now
- You work in Riverside County and want to be proactively involved in the Miller case
Contact Information for Legal Help
- Ferraro Vega Employment Lawyers — were involved in the Olea case and tracked it closely: ferrarovega.com
- Bibiyan Law Group — currently handling the Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group case (Riverside County): bibiyanlawgroup.com
- California Labor Commissioner’s Office: labor.ca.gov — free wage claim filing
- Email [email protected] for attorney referrals if you need general guidance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Stepping Stones Group lawsuit?
Quick Answer: It refers primarily to Jenelle Olea et al. v. The Stepping Stones Group LLC et al., a California class action that settled for $4.25 million in 2024 over wage and hour violations.
The lawsuit alleged that The Stepping Stones Group and its California affiliates failed to pay hourly workers all wages owed, denied meal and rest breaks, paid wages late, and provided inaccurate pay stubs. A separate, newer class action (Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group) was filed in Riverside County in July 2025 and is still pending.
Is the Stepping Stones Group settlement still open?
Quick Answer: No. The Olea settlement deadline was March 15, 2024, and final court approval was granted on April 12, 2024. That settlement is closed.
If you received a settlement check, it should have arrived in mid-to-late 2024. If you believe you were eligible but never received anything, contact CPT Group at 1-888-919-4077 or [email protected].
Who was covered by the Olea settlement?
Quick Answer: All hourly, non-exempt California employees of The Stepping Stones Group LLC and its affiliates who worked between April 16, 2018 and September 2, 2023, and who hadn’t signed individual release agreements.
The six covered entities were: The Stepping Stones Group LLC, Autism Intervention Professionals LLC, EBS Healthcare Staffing Services Inc., EBS Healthcare LLC, STAR of CA LLC, and Behavioral Learning Center Inc.
How much did people get paid from the settlement?
Quick Answer: Payments were proportional to workweeks — workers with more weeks of California employment received more. The net pool available to class members was approximately $2.6 million.
There was no set flat payout amount. Your check depended on how many workweeks you worked relative to the rest of the class. Workers in the PAGA period (Sept. 30, 2021–Sept. 2, 2023) also received a small additional PAGA payment.
How were workweeks calculated?
Quick Answer: CPT Group used the defendants’ employment records to calculate each class member’s workweeks. You had until March 15, 2024 to challenge the calculation with supporting documents.
The administrator accepted the defendants’ records as accurate unless a class member submitted contradicting documentation (pay stubs, time records, offer letters, etc.) before the deadline.
What happened at the April 12, 2024 final approval hearing?
Quick Answer: The San Diego Superior Court granted final approval of the $4.25 million settlement at the hearing in Dept. 66.
Following final approval, the defendants funded the settlement and CPT Group began mailing checks to participating class members. Objectors had the right to appear and speak, but the settlement was approved.
What is the new Stepping Stones Group lawsuit filed in 2025?
Quick Answer: Miller v. The Stepping Stones Group was filed on July 10, 2025, in Riverside County Superior Court by the Bibiyan Law Group. It’s a labor and employment class action, currently pending with no announced settlement.
This is a completely separate case from the Olea settlement. It appears to focus on employees in or around Riverside County, California. No claim deadline has been set yet.
I never received my settlement check. What should I do?
Quick Answer: Contact CPT Group immediately — they are the settlement administrator and can verify your participation and reissue checks.
Call 1-888-919-4077 or email [email protected]. Checks have a cashing expiration period, so don’t delay. Bring your name, the address you had on file during employment, and any employment records you have.
Did The Stepping Stones Group admit wrongdoing?
Quick Answer: No. The company denied all allegations and settled to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation. This is standard in class action settlements.
The settlement agreement includes standard language stating that the defendants deny violating any California labor laws and contend they complied with all applicable requirements. Settling does not equal an admission of guilt.
Can I still sue The Stepping Stones Group individually?
Quick Answer: Only if you opted out of the Olea class by March 15, 2024. If you participated (received a check or did nothing to opt out), you released your wage claims for the class period.
If you opted out, you can pursue individual claims, but California’s statute of limitations — generally 3 years for wage claims — means time may be running short depending on when your violations occurred. Consult an employment attorney as soon as possible.
What is PAGA and how did it affect this settlement?
Quick Answer: PAGA (Private Attorneys General Act) allows California employees to sue on behalf of the state for Labor Code violations and collect penalties. The Olea settlement included a $100,000 PAGA payment — $75,000 to the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) and $25,000 to workers in the PAGA period.
The PAGA component is why the state had a financial stake in the outcome. California law requires the LWDA to receive 75% of all PAGA penalties.
How is the Stepping Stones Group connected to private equity?
Quick Answer: The company was acquired by Leonard Green & Partners, a large private equity firm, in December 2021. Before that, it was owned by Five Arrows Capital Partners and Florac.
Critics argue that private equity ownership in special education staffing creates pressure to expand quickly while cutting labor costs — contributing to the wage violations alleged in this lawsuit. A November 2025 report by the Private Equity Stakeholder Project specifically called out The Stepping Stones Group’s treatment of workers in the context of its $14 million+ contract with West Contra Costa Unified School District.
What types of work did the class members do?
Quick Answer: Most were behavioral health technicians, ABA therapists, special education paraprofessionals, speech-language pathology assistants, school psychologists, and similar hourly clinical and support staff who worked in California schools and client homes.
These workers traveled between school sites and private homes, completed clinical documentation, and performed administrative tasks — much of which allegedly happened outside their scheduled, compensated hours.
Will there be more lawsuits against The Stepping Stones Group?
Quick Answer: Likely yes. The Miller case filed in July 2025 is already pending, and the company continues to hire large numbers of hourly employees in California and nationally.
Given the company’s continued rapid expansion through acquisitions and the persistence of the staffing model that generated the original Olea claims, labor advocates and plaintiffs’ attorneys are watching closely. If you work for The Stepping Stones Group now and believe your wages or breaks are being shorted, you have the right to file a claim with the California Labor Commissioner or speak with an employment attorney.
What other lawsuits has The Stepping Stones Group faced?
Quick Answer: Beyond the Olea and Miller wage cases, the company (through subsidiaries) has been involved in a contract dispute with Amethod Public Schools (N.D. Cal., 2023) and a contract case against Community Roots Academy (C.D. Cal., 2022). A separate but unrelated “Stepping Stones Healthcare” entity in Mississippi settled False Claims Act allegations for $589,000 in 2022 — that case involved a different company entirely.
The Olea/Miller cases are the primary lawsuits directly concerning worker rights at The Stepping Stones Group LLC.
Is The Stepping Stones Group still operating?
Quick Answer: Yes — the company is actively expanding. It acquired Gallagher Pediatric Therapy in March 2025 and Southern Kentucky Speech Therapy in August 2025, and has approximately 11,000 employees across 45+ states.
Despite the legal battles, the company continues to win school district contracts and acquire smaller therapy practices. As of early 2026, it remains one of the largest PE-backed special education staffing companies in the United States.
Key Resources
| Resource | Details |
|---|---|
| Settlement Administrator (CPT Group) | 1-888-919-4077 / [email protected] |
| Settlement Website | cptgroupcaseinfo.com/SSGSettlement/ |
| San Diego Superior Court Docket | Case No. 37-2022-00040884-CU-OE-CTL |
| California Labor Commissioner | labor.ca.gov — free wage claim filing |
| Miller Case Court | Riverside County Superior Court |
| Miller Case Attorney | Bibiyan Law Group |
| General Attorney Referrals | [email protected] |
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have specific questions about your eligibility, claim status, or rights, consult a licensed California employment attorney. Case details are based on publicly available court filings and settlement documents.
