Recent Allegations Point to PAGA Violations at Citibank

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In recent news, a PAGE violations lawsuit was filed against Citibank, N.A., alleging the company violated the PAGA (The Private Attorney General Act) when they allegedly failed to properly calculate employee wages.

Citibank Facing PAGA Violation Allegations:

The San Francisco California PAGA lawsuit was filed in San Mateo County Superior Court (Case No. 20-CIV-03650). According to the allegations, the plaintiffs (and other similar situated employees at the company) were frequently not able to take off-duty meal breaks and were not fully relieved of job duties during their meal periods.

California Labor Law: Mandatory Rest Periods and Meal Breaks

According to California labor law, employees who work for more than 5 hours in one shift are entitled to a thirty minute meal break before the end of their 5th hour of work. The thirty minute meal break is legally required to be uninterrupted (the employee must be released from their job duties during their breaks/meal periods).  

What is PAGA and How Does it Work?

The Private Attorney General Act or PAGA is a mechanism in place that enables employees suing under PAGA to do so with the State of California enforces California labor law as the proxy agent of a California labor law enforcement agency. Seeking recovery or civil penalties under PAGA is, in essence, intended to protect the public from illegal practices rather than to benefit the plaintiff/s as a private party or parties. The act of filing a lawsuit under PAGA is essentially a law enforcement action not intended to recover damages or gain restitution for an employment law violation, but to give everyday citizens the power to enforce the Labor Code as if they were deputized as private attorneys general.

Allegations Made in the Citibank PAGA Lawsuit:

Due to the rigorous work schedules of the plaintiffs and similarly situated employees at Citibank, they were periodically denied the mandatory rest breaks and meal periods that California employers are legally required to provide.

If you need to discuss labor law violations in the workplace or if you need to file a PAGA lawsuit, please get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced employment law attorneys are ready to assist you in any one of various law firm offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.