“Citing 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), this court has held that ‘[r]easonable attorney’s fees are mandatory’ when a court finds that an employer has violated § 206.20. Section 216(b) also requires the district court to order the defendant to pay the costs of the action. Although the district court has discretion to determine what is reasonable, the court does not have discretion to decline to award attorney’s fees to a prevailing party without making such a determination. The district court did not acknowledge this mandatory requirement or make a finding as to reasonability of the fees.” 2016 WL 3268996, at *7. (alteration in original)(citation omitted).
Steele v. Leasing Enters., Ltd., No. 15-20139, 2016 WL 3268996 (5th Cir. June 14, 2016) (Higginson, J.).