California workers who believe their employee rights have been violated should know what steps they can take to hold employers accountable and get the wages and benefits they are supposed to receive. Paying attention to recent cases can be helpful to understand what can be done. It is also useful to have experienced representation to pursue compensation.
Nursing home operator ordered to repay workers unpaid overtime
A California-based nursing home company was accused of not paying its workers overtime and forcing them to work during their lunch breaks while not paying them. The 108 workers whose rights were violated were subsequently awarded $690,696.
The violations took place from late 2018 through July 2021. This happened at several locations. According to the complaint, the workers’ pay was separated over several checks to keep from paying them overtime. When workers needed to work while they were supposed to be on break, the meal breaks were deducted from their wages.
The company was ordered to pay more than $345,000 each in wages and damages. Some workers were paid more than $10,000. One received more than $47,000. The same company faced similar allegations between 2013 and 2016. It was ordered to pay more than $1 million to 58 employees for those violations.
The Department of Labor states that healthcare providers are known for wage theft cases. In 2023 alone, there were more than 1,000 such cases with nearly $15 million recovered. The only industries that had worse records for such transgressions were construction and food service.
Workers who have not been treated fairly should know their rights
It is unfortunate that employees who are performing arduous work are often taken advantage of. Some employers believe that their workers are either unaware of the law or do not know how to hold them accountable for violating it. Whether it is because employers are making implied threats about job security or are simply ignoring the basic rules, there are options.
To recover lost wages, back pay and other forms of compensation, it is imperative to have advice and guidance from those experienced in these types of cases who are current on state employment laws. For help with employment law, it is imperative to call immediately for a consultation and representation.