Is a Personal Cell Phone a Reimburseable Work Expense for California Employees?

A recent complaint filed in Madera County Superior Court raises the question of cell phones as a reimbursable work expense. Allegedly, Paleowest, LLC failed to reimburse employees for personal cell phone usage and home office usage even though both were required to complete their job duties.

The Case: Brandy Hale v. Paleowest, LLC

The Court: Madera County Superior Court

The Case No.: MCV088135

The Plaintiff: Brandy Hale v. Paleowest, LLC

The plaintiff in the case, Brandy Hale, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of herself and other similarly situated current and former employees. In the class action, Hale claims that the defendant, Paleowest, LLC, violated California Labor Code. During her employment from January 2018 through May 2022, the company allegedly failed to reimburse employees for personal cell phone usage and home office usage, even though she claims both were required to complete job duties. The company classified Hale as a non-exempt hourly employee. However, Hale claims that she (and other employees) were not paid for all their hours, were required to work while clocked out, did not receive required off-duty meal breaks, were required to submit to mandatory Covid-19 screening without pay, and were also shorted pay due to the company’s policy to “round” employee hours.

The Defendant: Brandy Hale v. Paleowest, LLC

The defendant in the case, Paleowest, LLC, offers cultural, prehistoric, architectural, ethnographic heritage, and paleontological resource management services.

The Case: Brandy Hale v. Paleowest, LLC

According to the class action wage and hour lawsuit, Paleowest, LLC allegedly failed to reimburse employees for necessary expenses needed to complete their job duties (like their cell phone and home office) and failed to comply with multiple California Labor Codes. As a result, Hale, the plaintiff in the case, alleges that she and others similarly situated at the company were required to forfeit minimum wage, overtime pay, and off-duty meal breaks (without appropriate compensation). Additionally, the plaintiff claims that Paleowest, LLC’s practice, and policy not to provide payment to employees for all time worked can be seen in their own records. Failing to include employee incentive pay earned through the company’s rewards program as part of the “regular rate of pay” for overtime pay calculations shorted employees on overtime pay compensation. Hale argues that incentive pay would be included as part of the regular rate of pay since management and supervisors both describe the incentive program as part of the compensation package when outlining the benefits of employment for new employees.

If you have questions about how to file a California employment law class 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.