A group of nurses has filed a class action lawsuit against the city of San Francisco, claiming they were illegally denied rest periods while at work at the city's public hospitals.
The lawsuit claims that the city allegedly regularly fails to provide the nurses with meal and rest breaks as required by California labor law.
According to the complaint, the law, enacted in 2023, stipulates that public sector health care employers must provide meal and rest breaks to their employees.
The nurses claim that these alleged violations cause them to delay eating, eat while working, or even work an entire shift without being able to sit down or use the bathroom. They also allege that the city fails to pay them an additional hour of pay for each workday when the required meal or rest breaks are not provided.
The plaintiffs are seeking full compensation for the missed meal and rest periods, declaratory relief, attorneys’ fees, and costs of suit on behalf of themselves and all other similarly situated city-employed nurses.
The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Caitlin E. Gray, Alexander S. Nazarov and Miranda Mammen, of Weinberg Roger & Rosenfeld, of Emeryville; and Aaron Kaufmann and Elizabeth Gropman, of Kaufmann & Gropman, of Oakland.