RPNA Partner Michael Adreani advises employers to have their practices signed off by all employees to ensure acknowledgement and to stay apprised of the ever-changing California Labor Code to avoid legal actions brought under PAGA, the Private Attorneys General Act.
Adreani was asked for expert commentary in a recent San Fernando Valley Business Journal article about the legal and regulatory issues surrounding PAGA suits, where an employee can sue an employer for breaches—such as missed lunch breaks or unpaid overtime—even if he or she wasn’t directly affected by them.
PAGA authorizes aggrieved employees to file lawsuits to recover civil penalties on behalf of themselves, other employees, and the State of California for alleged Labor Code violations.
“In essence, PAGA gives a private citizen the right to act as an ‘attorney general,’” says Adreani, “and defending these claims can be time consuming and costly for employers.”
To determine if you are at risk of a PAGA claim and to learn more about how to defend your business against one, contact Michael Adreani or Drew Pomerance.
