$5.1M Settlement: CDCR Wage & Break Class Action

Case Background

A major class action lawsuit alleging widespread workplace violations against the State of California concluded with a massive financial agreement. The case, filed by multiple Plaintiffs, including Jacqueline Carreon and Karen Bagube, targeted the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and related state entities. The suit, initiated in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, in March 2019, asserted that the State agency had failed to properly pay thousands of current and former employees over several years, setting the stage for one of the largest wage and hour settlements against a state department.

Cause

The litigation centered on systematic violations of California's stringent labor laws. The Plaintiffs, representing a massive class of non-exempt employees, accused the CDCR of failing to meet fundamental workplace requirements. Their core allegation focused on the State's failure to provide mandatory rest and meal breaks to its employees. Specifically, the employees claimed that due to understaffing, operational necessities, and strict policies within the correctional facilities, they had been consistently unable to take their full, uninterrupted 30-minute meal periods and 10-minute rest periods as required by state law. They further alleged the CDCR had failed to accurately pay them for all hours worked and had not provided timely and complete wage statements detailing their compensation.

Injury

The harm suffered by the Plaintiffs was primarily economic and related to their labor rights. The workers claimed that the CDCR had unjustly deprived them of premium pay, which they had legally earned when they missed mandatory breaks or worked during them. They also sustained financial loss from not receiving accurate and complete wage payments. Furthermore, the systematic denial of mandated breaks cause