A lawsuit claims Transdev, a company that seeks to develop autonomous public transportation vehicles, has failed to pay workers all of their wages, among other alleged violations of California labor law.
Lead plaintiff Xavier Brown allegedly worked for the company from September 2021 to September 2022 in San Francisco County, the suit says. He filed the suit on behalf of himself and other "aggrieved employees" as defined in the California Labor Code.
"Defendants engaged in a uniform policy and systematic scheme of wage abuse against their hourly-paid or non-exempt employees," the lawsuit states. "This scheme involved failing to pay them for all hours worked and for missed (short, late, interrupted, and altogether missed) meal periods and rest breaks in violation of California law."
The lawsuit was filed under California's controversial Private Attorney General Act, which generally empowers individual workers to stand in place of the state of California in lawsuits accusing employers of labor law violations. Critics say the law amounts to a payday for lawyers, while generating few real benefits for workers.
The plaintiffs seek penalties of $100 for each employee per pay period for the initial violation, and $200 per employee per pay period for each subsequent violation, plus penalties and attorney fees.
They are represented by attorney Arby Aiwazian, of Lawyers for Justice PC, of Glendale.
Brown v. Transdev, San Francisco Superior Court, CGC-23-610067