Bill > AB1234

This bill revises and clarifies the process for investigating and resolving employee wage complaints through the Labor Commissioner. The bill establishes specific timelines for notifying parties about wage complaints, requiring the Labor Commissioner to notify defendants of allegations within 60 days and provide them 30 days to respond. If the Labor Commissioner decides to pursue the complaint, they must conduct an investigation within 90 days, which includes the ability to issue subpoenas and hold investigatory conferences. The bill introduces a new 30% administrative fee on orders, decisions, or awards, which will be deposited into a newly created Wage Recovery Fund. This fund can be used to compensate workers who have been damaged by wage theft, with the Labor Commissioner having the discretion to disburse funds. The bill also provides a process for defendants to potentially have the administrative fee waived under certain conditions, such as no prior wage violation history. Furthermore, the bill classifies appeals of Labor Commissioner decisions as unlimited civil cases and grants courts jurisdiction over the entire wage dispute, while prohibiting consolidation with unrelated actions. The goal is to create a more structured and efficient process for resolving wage disputes and ensuring workers receive owed compensation.

Budget and Finance, Justice, Labor and Employment

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1234