The California Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Act has recently been filed at the state level, reforming the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and creating a Consultation and Policy Publication Unit in the Labor Commissioner’s office.
Victor Gomez, executive director of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse in California (CALA), said the organization is pleased to see the initiative filed, stating PAGA reform is desperately needed.
“This initiative is a good step toward the fight against frivolous lawsuits that have plagued our state for years,” Gomez told the Northern California Record. “The current process benefits trial attorneys yet hurts workers. It’s time to put the power back in the hands of workers, and out of the hands of trial attorneys looking to shake down both employers and workers.”
Gomez said the Fair Pay Act would provide a more streamlined approach for wage claims, stating the state will likely handle processes more efficiently.
According to the initiative proposal, providing employers and employees with the ability to ask questions, cure any potential violations and review regularly updated guidance will protect workers’ rights and protect employers from predatory lawsuits.
The current plan is modeled after a similar unit within CalOSHA, making it so that an employer may request a confidential consultation and have a designated time period to cure any violations they discover accordingly.