$265k Settlement Secured for House Cleaners Cheated Out of Overtime Pay
A wage investigation into the San Francisco-based Marina House Cleaning company has been resolved via an out-of-court settlement, with the company agreeing to pay five workers roughly $50,000 each, according to a recent announcement from the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
As officials explain, the house cleaning company not only failed to pay at least five workers the legally required minimum wages, but it also committed the following violations:
- Misclassifying the workers as “independent contractors,” rather than employees
- Failing to pay these workers the overtime compensation they earned
- Failing to provide meal and rest breaks, as workers were commonly required to clean between 12 and 15 houses each day, precluding them from taking these breaks
- Failing to pay workers who left the company their full wages, upon separation.
While the settlement worked out in this case reportedly includes more than $247,600 in compensation related to back pay, it also includes nearly $17,400 in civil penalties.
Commenting on the outcome of this case, as well as the DIR’s ongoing work to protect workers’ rights to fair pay, Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su has stated:
With this settlement, workers who were once exploited and denied their right to a just day’s pay for a hard day’s work are finally getting the wages they earned… Employers who knowingly misclassify workers as independent contractors commit wage theft, deprive their employees of basic rights and gain an unfair competitive advantage over businesses that abide by the law.
Contact a Los Angeles Employment Attorney at Urbanic & Associates
Have you been the target of wage theft? Or have you been the victim of workplace discrimination, harassment or retaliation? If so, you can turn to an experienced Los Angeles employment attorney at Urbanic & Associates for help defending your rights and pursuing justice. For close to two decades, our lawyers have been dedicated, aggressive advocates for our clients, helping them stand up to even the most formidable opponents while working diligently to favorably resolve their case.
To discuss your options for justice and find out more about how we can help you, call our firm at (310) 216-0900 or send us an email using the contact form on this page.
From our offices based in Los Angeles, Attorney James Urbanic provides superior representation to clients throughout Los Angeles County and southern California, including (but not limited to) those in Glendale, Burbank, Alhambra, Van Nuys, Santa Monica and Orange County.
