California Labor Law Legal News Articles & Interviews

Santa Clara, CA A proposed class action filed in California federal court on behalf of Amazon warehouse managers accuses Amazon of violating California labor laws, including failure to pay overtime, not providing adequate meal and rest breaks, and failure to keep accurate payroll records. And this isn’t the first Amazon overtime lawsuit.

Santa Clara, CA A California federal judge has given the green light for labor lawsuits accusing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) of depriving U.S. college athletes of compensation for the commercial use of their “name, image and likeness” to proceed as an anti-trust class action. The plaintiffs, three college athletes, have accused the NCAA and its conferences of conspiring to restrict payments to athletes for television broadcasts, video games and other revenue sources.

San Francisco, CA A $155 million overtime settlement filed by current and retired California prison supervisors has been approved by a San Francisco Superior Court Judge. The original California labor lawsuit, dating back to 2008, alleged unpaid overtime wages for tasks performed before and after their shifts.

Oakland, CA A lawsuit filed in California claims that Meta's Instagram and Facebook have “profoundly altered the psychological and social realities of a generation of young Americans" by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict young people to its platforms. The lawsuit, which is filed in 33 states, alleges that such features are contributing to the youth mental health crisis. According to the complaint, its motive is profit.

San Jose, CA How much can former employees be ordered to keep secret? That is the issue with Apple and chip startup Rivos. In August 2022 the tech giant slammed Rivos and two employees with a California labor lawsuit alleging breach of contract and violation of the Defend Trade Secrets Act. In a countersuit, Rivos claims that Apple forces employees to sign restrictive agreements that prevent them from working elsewhere and stifle up-and-coming companies that hire its staff.

Alameda, CA Equinox has agreed to pay $36 million to resolve two California labor lawsuits alleging the fitness company required more than 15,000 employees to perform pre-shift work without pay and to skip meal breaks. The settlement, which resolves California state and federal actions, covers those who worked for Equinox in California between April 3, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2022.

Los Angeles, CA On the heels of actors talking again to studios regarding labor issues and writers back at work, a background actor in Los Angeles has filed a proposed class action claiming HBO and the production company Cooler Waters Productions, LLC violated California labor laws. Violations include failure to pay overtime and meal and rest period premiums, failure to provide accurate wage statements and issue all wages earned prior to an employee’s termination.

San Francisco, CA On the heels of a federal investigation into illegal child labor, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has issued the owners of 14 Subway franchises an ultimatum: Sell or Shut Down. Once the public and communities at those 14 locations know how John Michael Meza, his wife, Jessica L. Meza and their associate Hamza “Mike” Ayesh endangered the safety and well-being of children, perhaps they would be wise to shut down and leave town…

Santa Clara, CA An unpaid wages lawsuit filed by former Amazon warehouse employees in a California federal court has reached a settlement. The lawsuit, filed in February 2021, accused Amazon of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act and the California Labor Code when they were forced to undergo unpaid COVID-19 screenings before clocking in. They spent at least 10 to 15 minutes being screened before each shift.

San Francisco, CA A proposed California labor class action against Twitter, or X Corp., alleging age discrimination will proceed after a California federal judge partially denied the company’s attempt to toss the complaint. The social media platform is now facing claims that mass layoffs occurred after Elon Musk took control of the company and disproportionately impacted employees over the age of 50.