In a significant legal development, a former employee has filed a lawsuit against his previous employer, alleging widespread labor violations. Clayton Collins initiated the complaint on March 28, 2025, in the Superior Court of California for the County of Santa Clara against CLS Global Transportation Inc. The lawsuit highlights serious accusations of labor law breaches that could have far-reaching implications for the company and its employees.
The complaint filed by Clayton Collins, represented by Lavi & Ebrahimian, LLP, alleges that CLS Global Transportation Inc. failed to comply with various provisions of the California Labor Code. Collins claims that during his employment from October 2021 to September 11, 2024, as well as during the tenure of other aggrieved employees, the company did not pay minimum wages or overtime wages appropriately. The allegations extend to improper handling of meal and rest breaks and failure to reimburse necessary work-related expenses. "Defendants suffered, permitted, and required Plaintiff and other current and former aggrieved California-based hourly non-exempt employees to be subject to Defendants’ control without paying wages for that time," states the complaint.
Collins further accuses CLS Global Transportation Inc. of engaging in practices such as "rounding down" hours worked and requiring off-the-clock work without compensation. These actions allegedly led to systematic underpayment for both regular and overtime hours worked by employees. The plaintiff also points out failures in providing legally mandated meal periods and rest breaks, which are crucial under California labor laws.
The lawsuit is brought under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), allowing Collins to seek civil penalties on behalf of himself, other affected employees, and the State of California. The penalties sought exceed $25,000 and include compensation for unpaid wages due to miscalculated work hours and missed break premiums. Additionally, Collins seeks statutory penalties for inaccurate wage statements provided by CLS Global Transportation Inc., arguing these inaccuracies were intentional.
The plaintiff demands that CLS Global Transportation Inc. be held accountable for violating several sections of the Labor Code including sections 201 through 204 concerning timely payment of wages; section 226 regarding accurate wage statements; section 510 on overtime pay; among others related to meal periods (section 512) and reimbursement obligations (section 2802). In light of these alleged violations, Collins requests civil penalties as prescribed by PAGA along with reasonable attorneys' fees and costs associated with bringing this action forward.
This case underscores ongoing challenges within industries employing hourly workers where compliance with state labor laws is critical yet often contested. As it unfolds in courtrooms under Case No.: 25CV462312 before judges at Santa Clara County's Superior Court—legal professionals like Joseph Lavi Esq., Vincent C Granberry Esq., Jeffrey D Klein Esq., Eric D Tims Esq.—all partaking from Lavi & Ebrahimian LLP—will navigate complex arguments around fair labor standards versus business operational practices potentially affecting many livelihoods involved therein.