Missed Meal Breaks and Overtime Pay Spur Wage and Hour Class Action

Golden Gate America West LLC is facing a new California wage and hour class action lawsuit from an employee seeking compensation for missed meal breaks and denied overtime.

Lead plaintiff David W. alleges he and other employees were denied meal breaks, rest periods, and overtime despite working the required amount of hours. He alleges Golden Gate America West failed to pay its employees for all hours worked.

Golden Gate America operates out of car rental facilities, including at major metropolitan airports. The company provides services like managing parking, cleaning, and maintenance of different rental vehicles.

Golden Gate America also provides fleet and staffing management for car rental facilities, each performing different occupational duties. David says he was one of these employees, who reportedly worked for the company from January 2016 to March 2018 as a driver and in other occupational duties.

During this employment period, David says he would regularly work over 40 hours a week and eight hours in a single day, hours that should have qualified for a higher overtime rate of pay.

Overview of California Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuit

During all times relevant, David says he worked as a non-exempt employee that was protected by California labor laws. Under California state labor laws, the current minimum wage rate is $11 per hour and is expected to rise in the next few years.

Like the rest of the United States, the state of California has laws that employers must adhere to in their employment practices. Under California state law, non-exempt minimum wage employees are entitled to an increase of their hourly wages after working a certain amount of hours in a week or even a single workday, commonly known as “time and a half.”

If a non-exempt employee works over eight hours in a single day or over 40 hours a week, they become eligible for the overtime rate. In addition, California work laws mandate that non-exempt employees get a 30-minute unpaid meal break for every five hours and 10 minute rest periods every four hours.

During these meal breaks, employees must not perform any work and must be able to leave the premises to enjoy their meal or other activity they choose to do during this time. Employees who experience missed meal breaks or rest periods, should be compensated an extra hour of work that will be included on their next paycheck.

David alleges he and other employees experienced missed meal breaks and denied overtime on a regular basis. He also alleges that Golden Gate America failed to compensate them for any of these missing payments. At this point in time, David says he has exhausted all administrative options and was forced to file legal action.

David is seeking to represent a Class of California employees who allegedly experienced missed meal breaks and denied overtime at some point in the last four years. David is seeking damages for all hours worked, missed meal breaks, and other relevant damages.

This California Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuit is Case No. BC-714176, in the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles.

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If you were forced to work off the clock or without overtime pay within the past 3 years in California, you have rights – and you don’t have to take on the company alone.

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