Labor And Employment Law

Jorge Solis Flores, a former employee of the renowned apple juice manufacturer S. Martinelli & Company, spearheaded a class-action lawsuit that exposed systemic payroll failures within the historic California brand. The litigation alleged that Martinelli failed to include performance bonuses and shift differentials when calculating the "regular rate of pay" for overtime and sick leave, a common but illegal practice that shortchanges hourly workers. Furthermore, the suit claimed that employees were frequently denied their legally mandated meal and rest periods without receiving the required premium pay. Facing a class of hundreds of current and former workers, Martinelli ultimately agreed to a $1,650,000 settlement to resolve the claims of labor code violations and unfair business practices. This recovery ensures that workers are retroactively compensated for the wages and penalties they were denied during their service to the company.

The legal battle centered on Steve Ongele, a long-serving Bureau Chief within the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Ongele alleged that his career ended in retaliation after he blew the whistle on significant financial irregularities within the department. Specifically, Ongele had reported that the city was collecting millions of dollars in excessive fees from the public and had uncovered a scheme where ineligible high-level employees received years of unauthorized overtime pay. Following these disclosures, Ongele claimed he faced a hostile work environment and was ultimately terminated in October 2019. The resulting stress led to a severe decline in his mental and physical health, including suicidal ideation and permanent disability. While the City maintained that the termination was performance-based, they ultimately chose to settle the matter for $3.15 million shortly before trial, following the federal conviction of Ongele's former supervisor on unrelated corruption charges.

The University of San Francisco finalized a $3.8 million settlement to resolve claims that the institution systematically underpaid its non-exempt workforce. Former employees Dan Beck and Bienvenida Salazar led the class action, alleging the university had failed to calculate overtime rates correctly and denied staff mandatory rest periods. After years of legal maneuvering in San Francisco Superior Court, Judge Ethan P. Schulman approved the multimillion-dollar payout to compensate hundreds of affected workers for lost wages and legal penalties.

In March 2024, Michelle Hedges filed a class action lawsuit against Bona Fide Mao Inc. (doing business as Salud) in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The litigation followed a severe cybersecurity incident occurring in September 2022, which compromised the sensitive personal and medical data of thousands of individuals. The core of the complaint alleged that Salud failed to implement industry-standard security measures—such as robust encryption—and significantly delayed notifying victims. Although the breach was discovered in late 2022, notification letters were not dispatched until February 2024, leaving victims unaware of their exposure for nearly eighteen months. The stolen data included Social Security numbers, medical histories, and health insurance details, placing class members at a lifelong risk of identity theft. To resolve claims of negligence and privacy invasion, Salud agreed to an $8,000,000 settlement. During a final approval hearing on November 20, 2024, the Honorable Ethan P. Schulman requested additional data regarding the class participation rate before granting final judgment. The proceedings reflect a growing judicial scrutiny over corporate accountability in the wake of "Private Information" (PI) exposure.

The Alameda County Superior Court formally concluded the class and representative action Oscar Armando Maravilla v. East Bay Logistics, Inc. with the final approval of a settlement totaling $455,000. The lawsuit began in July 2022 when Mr. Maravilla, a former non-exempt employee, asserted that the East Bay logistics company had systematically violated the California Labor Code. The complaint detailed widespread wage and hour infractions, including the company's failure to accurately track and pay employees for all time they had worked, leading to underpayment of both minimum wage and overtime. The legal action further contended that East Bay Logistics had denied workers their legally mandated meal and rest periods, and subsequently failed to pay the premium wages required for these missed breaks. Additionally, the company provided employees with inaccurate wage statements and neglected to reimburse them for necessary business expenses, such as the use of personal cell phones for work. East Bay Logistics denied the allegations, asserting that it had operated in good faith. However, to avoid the considerable risk and expense of a jury trial, the parties negotiated the six-figure settlement. In September 2024, Judge Michael Markman approved the final order, which provided compensation to the class members for the wages and penalties the company had failed to pay, officially concluding the litigation.

On April 17, 2025, the Los Angeles County Superior Court granted final approval for a class action settlement between plaintiffs Marina Durham and Cassandra Hall-LePrevost and defendant Steak 48 Beverly Hills, LLC. The litigation, which consolidated two separate complaints, alleged that the high-end dining establishment engaged in systematic labor violations, including the failure to authorize required rest periods and meal breaks, and the failure to pay minimum and overtime wages for all hours worked. The plaintiffs, representing a class of non-exempt employees who worked at the restaurant between November 20, 2019, and June 27, 2024, also claimed the employer failed to reimburse business expenses related to uniform cleaning and provided inaccurate wage statements. Under the terms of the agreement, Steak 48 will pay a Gross Settlement Amount of $252,000 to resolve the claims without admitting liability. The settlement also includes $25,000 in PAGA penalties and attorney fees for class counsel.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court finalized a $440,000 class action settlement in Nelson Miranda v. CA Glatt Mart, Inc. The lawsuit alleged that the supermarket operator systematically violated the California Labor Code by failing to provide proper minimum wage, overtime, accurate wage statements, and legally mandated meal and rest periods to hundreds of non-exempt, hourly-paid employees. The compromise concluded two years of litigation, providing financial relief to the class members for lost wages and statutory penalties.

In Dababneh v. Doja, Inc. et al, the plaintiff, Tania Dababneh, filed suit against her former employers in the Superior Court of San Bernardino County, alleging severe workplace misconduct. Ms. Dababneh claimed she was subjected to sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment, which culminated in her wrongful termination in violation of public policy. On November 14, 2025, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The jury found Doja, Inc. liable for discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination, and determined that individual defendant Ayad Jaber contributed to the hostile work environment. The jury awarded Ms. Dababneh $300,000 in past noneconomic damages and $800,000 in future noneconomic damages. Additionally, finding that Doja, Inc. acted with malice, oppression, or fraud, the jury assessed $900,000 in punitive damages against the corporation. The total judgment amounted to $2,000,000.

Gerardo Gutierrez filed a class action lawsuit against Fraiche Catering, Inc. in San Francisco Superior Court, alleging widespread violations of California labor laws. The complaint, filed on behalf of approximately 100 similarly situated employees, claimed the catering company misclassified workers as exempt to avoid paying overtime and minimum wages. Further allegations included the failure to provide mandated meal and rest periods, failure to reimburse employees for business expenses such as personal cell phone use, and the issuance of inaccurate wage statements. Fraiche Catering denied all allegations, asserting that employees were properly classified under California's Professional, Administrative, and Executive exemptions. The case concluded with a $175,000 settlement to resolve the claims.

Eric Harrold sued Spartan Education Group, an aeronautics and technology college in Riverside, California, for widespread wage and hour violations. The class action alleged the company failed to pay minimum and overtime wages, denied meal and rest breaks, issued inaccurate pay statements, and refused to reimburse workers for using personal cell phones. The case settled for $400,000.

Daniel Matthews filed a class action lawsuit against Lusk Quality Machine Products alleging the California manufacturer violated state labor laws by failing to pay minimum wages, denying meal and rest breaks, requiring off-the-clock work, and providing inaccurate wage statements. The case settled for $365,000, compensating affected non-exempt employees for wage theft and labor code violations during their employment at the CNC machining facility.

Vernon Barnett filed a class action lawsuit against QW Insurance Solutions, LLC, LendingTree, Inc., and LendingTree, LLC in San Diego Superior Court, alleging systematic wage and hour violations affecting non-exempt employees. The complaint claimed the defendants failed to pay proper overtime by excluding commissions from rate calculations, denied compliant meal and rest breaks, issued inaccurate wage statements, and failed to reimburse work-from-home expenses. After intensive negotiations, the parties reached a $450,000 settlement that received preliminary court approval on March 22, 2024.