In a striking legal development, a complaint has been filed against a veterinary service provider in California, accusing it of multiple labor law violations. On April 17, 2025, Megan Hacker lodged a representative action complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, against Adobe Veterinary Centers, LP. The case seeks to address alleged systemic failures in adhering to state labor regulations that have impacted numerous employees.
The plaintiff, Megan Hacker, who worked for Adobe Veterinary Centers from August 2004 to July 2024 as a non-exempt employee, claims that the company violated several provisions of the California Labor Code. The lawsuit is brought under the Private Attorney General Act (PAGA), allowing Hacker to act on behalf of all aggrieved employees and the State of California. The allegations include failure to pay minimum and overtime wages, not providing legally mandated meal and rest breaks, inaccurate wage statements, and unlawful deductions from wages. Hacker asserts that these practices were part of an established company policy that systematically disadvantaged employees.
According to the complaint, Adobe Veterinary Centers allegedly required employees to work off-the-clock without compensation for time spent under employer control. This included working during unpaid meal breaks and performing tasks before clocking in due to mandatory COVID-19 screenings. Furthermore, the company is accused of rounding down recorded work hours and failing to include incentive pay when calculating overtime rates. "DEFENDANT’s policy restricted PLAINTIFF and the AGGRIEVED EMPLOYEES from unconstrained walks," states the complaint regarding rest periods.
The plaintiff seeks civil penalties on behalf of all affected employees during the PAGA period starting December 20, 2023. These penalties are sought for violations including but not limited to Labor Code sections concerning timely payment of wages (Sections 201-204), provision of meal/rest breaks (Sections 226.7 & 512), reimbursement for business expenses (Section 2802), and failure to provide suitable seating as per state regulations.
Represented by Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP—a law firm known for handling employment law cases—Hacker's legal team includes attorneys Norman B. Blumenthal, Kyle R. Nordrehaug, Nicholas J. De Blouw, Aparajit Bhowmik, and Jeffrey S. Herman. The case is being overseen by Judge J. Nguyen under Case No. 25CV463738.