Adriana Duarte Valentines vs. Dedication and Everlasting Love to Animals

Case Background

On January 12, 2021, Plaintiff Adriana Duarte Valentines filed a Wrongful Termination lawsuit in the California Superior Court of Los Angeles County (Case number: 21STCV01322). Judges Kristin S. Escalante, Ruth Ann Kwan, Kerry Bensinger, Yolanda Orozco, and Serena R. Murillo presided over the case.

Cause

Adriana Duarte Valentines began working with DELTA Rescue, an animal rescue organization, in June 2019 as an animal caretaker. Her duties involved caring for animals, feeding them, cleaning their cages, and performing personal errands for her employer. She worked a fixed schedule of Sunday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, at $15 per hour. Despite the employer controlling her duties, schedule, and work methods, she was misclassified as an independent contractor rather than an employee. In September 2019, Duarte discovered she was pregnant, approximately five months along. The employer was aware of her condition and modified her duties to accommodate her pregnancy. However, on January 31, 2020, Duarte experienced pregnancy-induced hypertension, which required hospitalization. Her sister, a fellow employee, promptly reported this to the employer. Subsequently, in February 2020, Duarte was wrongfully terminated.

Injuries

Duarte experienced multiple injuries during her employment and following her wrongful termination. The misclassification as