Cinepolis Charged with Multiple California Labor Law Violations


. By Anne Wallace

All California employees, regardless of birthplace or immigration status, have legal rights

 On October 21, Jacqueline Honorio filed a proposed class action lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of at least 100 individuals who worked for USA Cinema Services LLC, which does business as Cinepolis. Honorio v. USA Cinema Services LLC alleges that Cinepolis violated the California labor code in a wide variety of ways.

To date, the written record on this California labor lawsuit is somewhat sparse. However, Honorio provides a valuable opportunity to review some of the basics of California’s wage and hour protections. In addition, the lawsuit offers the chance to review what employees can and should do to protect these rights. Perhaps the most basic is the right to know about how the law protects working people. Knowledge is power.


The right to know


In California, employees are protected by labor laws, regardless of birthplace or legal status. In general, these rights include: California law requires employers to inform employees of these rights. Employers must post a copy of the California Labor Laws Poster in a conspicuous place at each place of employment. This poster provides employees with information about their rights to minimum wage, overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, and other important labor law protections. California requires that this information be posted in both Spanish and English.


Waiting time, reporting time, and overtime


In addition to overtime, section 510 of the California labor code has been interpreted to  require employers to pay for waiting and reporting time. Employers must pay employees:


Meal and rest breaks


California labor law requires employers to provide hourly employees with uninterrupted meal and rest breaks. These breaks include:


Reimbursement for business expenses


According to Honorio’s Complaint, Cinepolis also required workers to purchase certain items, such as aprons, gloves and shoes, but did not reimburse them. California law requires employers to pay employees for necessary business expenses incurred by employees in the performance of their duties. This includes expenses such as: In other circumstances, additional business expenses that must be reimbursed may include:


How to protect your legal rights


Above all make sure that you are informed of your rights, by clicking on the links above. It is also important that you keep your own records of the time and days that you work and any work-related expenses you lay out. Keep these at home, not at work.
You may also contact the California Labor Enforcement Taskforce at 1-855-297-5322 or an attorney who specializes in this kind of work.


California Labor Law Legal Help

If you or a loved one have suffered losses in this case, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to an employment law lawyer who may evaluate your California Labor Law claim at no cost or obligation.

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