Gas station employees in California filed a class action against their employer, claiming they were subject to an illegal meal and rest break policy. The complaint was filed in July 2019 as an employment class action with the California Superior Court for the County of Sacramento.
The plaintiff worked at a few gas stations operated by Edward R. Mraszal Enterprises, Inc. between October of 2018 and April of 2019, when he was terminated. Edward R. Mraszal Enterprises is the defendant in the lawsuit. The plaintiff, now a former employee, brought the class action on behalf of himself and on behalf of all other gas station employees who worked for Edward R. Mraszal Enterprises in the last 4 years.
The plaintiff and the gas station employees are represented by the California employment lawyers of Zakay Law Group, APC and The JCL Law Firm, APC.
The Complaint alleges 8 causes of action, including claims for unpaid minimum wages and overtime wages. The main contention in plaintiff’s action relates to defendant’s meal break and rest break policy. According to the lawsuit, the gas station employees were required to stay on duty and on the premises during the meal breaks and rest breaks. This policy, the complaint alleges, was illegal, and deprived those California employees of the breaks they are entitled to under the California labor code.
The lawsuit also claims multiple other violations of California employment laws, including Edward R. Mraszal Enterprises’s alleged failure to reimburse the gas station employees for their use of personal cell phones and other work related expenses. The lawsuit further contends that these labor code violations resulted in the employees receiving inaccurate pay statements, and former employees not receiving all wages upon termination.
The complaint seeks monetary damages on behalf of the gas station employees for the unpaid wages and missed meal and rest breaks. It also seeks penalties for the related employment law violations. Finally, the action is seeking an order from the court compelling Edward R. Mraszal Enterprises to brings its policies into compliance with the California labor code.
For more information on the lawsuit, a copy of the complaint is available for review here.
If your employer forces you to stay on duty or on the premises during your meal breaks or rest breaks, please do not hesitate to contact our employment attorney for a free consultation.