The California Legislature has enacted a law which allows private citizens to sue for civil fines and penalties for violations of certain California Labor Code provisions. Previously, this could only be done by a State agency such as the Labor Commissioner or the Attorney General. Under the Private Attorney General Act of 2004, private citizens can sue for these violations. If they are successful, the fines imposed under the law are split with 75% of the amount going to the State of California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and 25% going to the injured employees. This 25% is in addition to any other monies owed the employees such as unpaid overtime, unpaid meal premiums, bounced check fees, etc.
This website will go over what is involved in a Private Attorney General Action, what Labor Code sections you can sue for, and provide some additional information for attorneys who practice in this area. This website is maintained by the Law Offices of Michael Tracy.
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