BILL NUMBER: AB 2772	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  102
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JULY 15, 2010
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  JULY 15, 2010
	PASSED THE SENATE  JUNE 28, 2010
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  MAY 13, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 8, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Labor and Employment (Swanson (Chair),
Furutani, Monning, and Yamada)

                        MARCH 1, 2010

   An act to amend Section 98.2 of the Labor Code, relating to
employment.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2772, Committee on Labor and Employment. Labor Commissioner:
appeals.
   Existing law authorizes the Labor Commissioner to investigate
employee complaints and hold administrative hearings to decide
disputes over unpaid wages and other issues between employers and
employees. Existing law also permits a party who loses at an
administrative hearing conducted by the Labor Commissioner to file an
appeal in the superior court. An employer filing an appeal must post
a bond with the court in the amount of the judgment rendered in the
administrative hearing.
   This bill would expressly state that an employer wishing to appeal
an administrative judgment must first post a bond.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 98.2 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   98.2.  (a) Within 10 days after service of notice of an order,
decision, or award the parties may seek review by filing an appeal to
the superior court, where the appeal shall be heard de novo. The
court shall charge the first paper filing fee under Section 70611 of
the Government Code to the party seeking review. The fee shall be
distributed as provided in Section 68085.3 of the Government Code. A
copy of the appeal request shall be served upon the Labor
Commissioner by the appellant. For purposes of computing the 10-day
period after service, Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure is
applicable.
   (b) As a condition to filing an appeal pursuant to this section,
an employer shall first post an undertaking with the reviewing court
in the amount of the order, decision, or award. The undertaking shall
consist of an appeal bond issued by a licensed surety or a cash
deposit with the court in the amount of the order, decision, or
award. The employer shall provide written notification to the other
parties and the Labor Commissioner of the posting of the undertaking.
The undertaking shall be on the condition that, if any judgment is
entered in favor of the employee, the employer shall pay the amount
owed pursuant to the judgment, and if the appeal is withdrawn or
dismissed without entry of judgment, the employer shall pay the
amount owed pursuant to the order, decision, or award of the Labor
Commissioner unless the parties have executed a settlement agreement
for payment of some other amount, in which case the employer shall
pay the amount that the employer is obligated to pay under the terms
of the settlement agreement. If the employer fails to pay the amount
owed within 10 days of entry of the judgment, dismissal, or
withdrawal of the appeal, or the execution of a settlement agreement,
a portion of the undertaking equal to the amount owed, or the entire
undertaking if the amount owed exceeds the undertaking, is forfeited
to the employee.
   (c) If the party seeking review by filing an appeal to the
superior court is unsuccessful in the appeal, the court shall
determine the costs and reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the
other parties to the appeal, and assess that amount as a cost upon
the party filing the appeal. An employee is successful if the court
awards an amount greater than zero.
   (d) If no notice of appeal of the order, decision, or award is
filed within the period set forth in subdivision (a), the order,
decision, or award shall, in the absence of fraud, be deemed the
final order.
   (e) The Labor Commissioner shall file, within 10 days of the order
becoming final pursuant to subdivision (d), a certified copy of the
final order with the clerk of the superior court of the appropriate
county unless a settlement has been reached by the parties and
approved by the Labor Commissioner. Judgment shall be entered
immediately by the court clerk in conformity therewith. The judgment
so entered has the same force and effect as, and is subject to all of
the provisions of law relating to, a judgment in a civil action, and
may be enforced in the same manner as any other judgment of the
court in which it is entered. Enforcement of the judgment shall
receive court priority.
   (f) (1) In order to ensure that judgments are satisfied, the Labor
Commissioner may serve upon the judgment debtor, personally or by
first-class mail at the last known address of the judgment debtor
listed with the division, a form similar to, and requiring the
reporting of the same information as, the form approved or adopted by
the Judicial Council for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section
116.830 of the Code of Civil Procedure to assist in identifying the
nature and location of any assets of the judgment debtor.
   (2) The judgment debtor shall complete the form and cause it to be
delivered to the division at the address listed on the form within
35 days after the form has been served on the judgment debtor, unless
the judgment has been satisfied. In case of willful failure by the
judgment debtor to comply with this subdivision, the division or the
judgment creditor may request the court to apply the sanctions
provided in Section 708.170 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
   (g) Notwithstanding subdivision (e), the Labor Commissioner may
stay execution of any judgment entered upon an order, decision, or
award that has become final upon good cause appearing therefor and
may impose the terms and conditions of the stay of execution. A
certified copy of the stay of execution shall be filed with the clerk
entering the judgment.
   (h) When a judgment is satisfied in fact, other than by execution,
the Labor Commissioner may, upon the motion of either party or on
its own motion, order entry of satisfaction of judgment. The clerk of
the court shall enter a satisfaction of judgment upon the filing of
a certified copy of the order.
   (i) The Labor Commissioner shall make every reasonable effort to
ensure that judgments are satisfied, including taking all appropriate
legal action and requiring the employer to deposit a bond as
provided in Section 240.
   (j) The judgment creditor, or the Labor Commissioner as assignee
of the judgment creditor, is entitled to court costs and reasonable
attorney's fees for enforcing the judgment that is rendered pursuant
to this section.