In recent news, Freenome Holdings, Inc. faces a PAGA-Only action alleging multiple California labor code violations.

The Case: Daniel De La Torre v. Freenome Holdings, Inc.

The Court: San Francisco County Superior Court

The Case No.: CGC-22-603540

The Plaintiff: Daniel De La Torre v. Freenome Holdings, Inc.

The plaintiff in the case, Daniel De La Torre, as an “aggrieved employee,” acted as a private attorney general (under the Labor Code Private Attorney General Act of 2004, § 2699, et seq. (“PAGA”) to file suit against Freenome Holdings. The PAGA-only action seeks to obtain PAGA civil penalties for himself and other aggrieved employees in similar situations with the company. California’s PAGA permits an individual to bring an action on behalf of himself and on behalf of others for PAGA penalties only; this is the precise and sole nature of this action.

The Defendant: Daniel De La Torre v. Freenome Holdings, Inc.

The defendant in the case, Freenome Holdings, Inc., is a corporation that provides clinical research services, as well as the development and creation of screening, diagnosis, and treatment of age-associated clinical conditions.

The Case: Daniel De La Torre v. Freenome Holdings, Inc.

Freenome Holdings, Inc. employed Torre from September 2021 through August 2022. During his time at the company, Torre was classified as a non-exempt employee and earned wages on an hourly basis. As such, Torre was entitled to the legally required meal and rest periods and payment of minimum and overtime wages due according to employment law. According to the PAGA-only action, the defendant failed to pay the plaintiff (and other similarly aggrieved employees that qualify under the class definition) wages due, engaged in practices that required employees to complete “off the clock” work, failed to provide mandatory off-duty meal breaks, required mandatory temperature checks and symptom questionnaires for COVID-19 screening before employees could clock in for shifts, engaged in an established company policy that rounded employee hours rather than providing payment for the actual hours employees worked, etc.

If you have questions about how to file a California PAGA-only action, please get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced employment law attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.