BILL NUMBER: AB 970	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nazarian

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2015

   An act to amend Sections 558, 1197, 1197.1, and 2802 of the Labor
Code, relating to employment.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 970, as introduced, Nazarian. Labor Commissioner: enforcement
of employee claims.
   (1) Existing law authorizes the Labor Commissioner to investigate
and enforce statutes and orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission
that, among other things, specify the requirements for the payment of
wages by employers. Existing law provides for criminal and civil
penalties for violations of statutes and orders of the commission
regarding payment of wages.
   This bill would, in addition, authorize the Labor Commissioner to
enforce local laws regarding overtime hours or minimum wage
provisions and to issue citations and penalties for violations. This
bill also would make related conforming changes. By expanding the
definition of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local
program.
   (2) Existing law requires an employer to indemnify his or her
employees for all that the employee necessarily expends or loses in
direct consequence of the discharge of the employee's duties or as a
result of obeying the employer's directions.  Existing law provides
an aggrieved employee with a private right of action to recover these
expenditures.
   This bill would, additionally, authorize the Labor Commissioner to
enforce these provisions by issuing citations and penalties to
employers for violations of this requirement, as specified.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 558 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   558.  (a) Any employer or other person acting on behalf of an
employer who violates, or causes to be violated, a section of this
chapter or any provision regulating hours and days of work in any
order of the Industrial Welfare Commission shall be subject to a
civil penalty as follows:
   (1) For any initial violation, fifty dollars ($50) for each
underpaid employee for each pay period for which the employee was
underpaid in addition to an amount sufficient to recover underpaid
wages.
   (2) For each subsequent violation, one hundred dollars ($100) for
each underpaid employee for each pay period for which the employee
was underpaid in addition to an amount sufficient to recover
underpaid wages.
   (3) Wages recovered pursuant to this section shall be paid to the
affected employee.
   (b) If upon inspection or investigation the Labor Commissioner
determines that a person had paid or caused to be paid a wage for
overtime work in violation of any provision of this chapter, 
or  any provision regulating hours and days of work in any
order of the Industrial Welfare Commission,  or any applicable
local overtime law,  the Labor Commissioner may issue a
citation. The procedures for issuing, contesting, and enforcing
judgments for citations or civil penalties issued by the Labor
Commissioner for a violation of this chapter shall be the same as
those set out in Section 1197.1.
   (c) The civil penalties provided for in this section are in
addition to any other civil or criminal penalty provided by law.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1197 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   1197.  The minimum wage for employees fixed by the commission 
or by any applicable state or local law,  is the minimum wage
to be paid to employees, and the payment of a less wage than the
minimum so fixed is unlawful.
  SEC. 3.  Section 1197.1 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   1197.1.  (a) Any employer or other person acting either
individually or as an officer, agent, or employee of another person,
who pays or causes to be paid to any employee a wage less than the
minimum fixed by  an applicable state or local law, or by 
an order of the commission shall be subject to a civil penalty,
restitution of wages, liquidated damages payable to the employee, and
any applicable penalties imposed pursuant to Section 203 as follows:

   (1) For any initial violation that is intentionally committed, one
hundred dollars ($100) for each underpaid employee for each pay
period for which the employee is underpaid. This amount shall be in
addition to an amount sufficient to recover underpaid wages,
liquidated damages pursuant to Section 1194.2, and any applicable
penalties imposed pursuant to Section 203.
   (2) For each subsequent violation for the same specific offense,
two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each underpaid employee for each
pay period for which the employee is underpaid regardless of whether
the initial violation is intentionally committed. This amount shall
be in addition to an amount sufficient to recover underpaid wages,
liquidated damages pursuant to Section 1194.2, and any applicable
penalties imposed pursuant to Section 203.
   (3) Wages, liquidated damages, and any applicable penalties
imposed pursuant to Section 203, recovered pursuant to this section
shall be paid to the affected employee.
   (b) If, upon inspection or investigation, the Labor Commissioner
determines that a person has paid or caused to be paid a wage less
than the  minimum,   minimum under applicable
law,  the Labor Commissioner may issue a citation to the person
in violation. The citation may be served personally or by registered
mail in accordance with subdivision (c) of Section 11505 of the
Government Code. Each citation shall be in writing and shall describe
the nature of the violation, including reference to the statutory
provision alleged to have been violated. The Labor Commissioner
promptly shall take all appropriate action, in accordance with this
section, to enforce the citation and to recover the civil penalty
assessed, wages, liquidated damages, and any applicable penalties
imposed pursuant to Section 203 in connection with the citation.
   (c) (1) If a person desires to contest a citation or the proposed
assessment of a civil penalty, wages, liquidated damages, and any
applicable penalties imposed pursuant to Section 203 therefor, the
person shall, within 15 business days after service of the citation,
notify the office of the Labor Commissioner that appears on the
citation of his or her request for an informal hearing. The Labor
Commissioner or his or her deputy or agent shall, within 30 days,
hold a hearing at the conclusion of which the citation or proposed
assessment of a civil penalty, wages, liquidated damages, and any
applicable penalties imposed pursuant to Section 203 shall be
affirmed, modified, or dismissed.
   (2) The decision of the Labor Commissioner shall consist of a
notice of findings, findings, and an order, all of which shall be
served on all parties to the hearing within 15 days after the hearing
by regular first-class mail at the last known address of the party
on file with the Labor Commissioner. Service shall be completed
pursuant to Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Any amount
found due by the Labor Commissioner as a result of a hearing shall
become due and payable 45 days after notice of the findings and
written findings and order have been mailed to the party assessed. A
writ of mandate may be taken from this finding to the appropriate
superior court. The party shall pay any judgment and costs ultimately
rendered by the court against the party for the assessment. The writ
shall be taken within 45 days of service of the notice of findings,
findings, and order thereon.
   (d) A person to whom a citation has been issued shall, in lieu of
contesting a citation pursuant to this section, transmit to the
office of the Labor Commissioner designated on the citation the
amount specified for the violation within 15 business days after
issuance of the citation.
   (e) When no petition objecting to a citation or the proposed
assessment of a civil penalty, wages, liquidated damages, and any
applicable penalties imposed pursuant to Section 203 is filed, a
certified copy of the citation or proposed civil penalty, wages,
liquidated damages, and any applicable penalties imposed pursuant to
Section 203 may be filed by the Labor Commissioner in the office of
the clerk of the superior court in any county in which the person
assessed has or had a place of business. The clerk, immediately upon
the filing, shall enter judgment for the state against the person
assessed in the amount shown on the citation or proposed assessment
of a civil penalty, wages, liquidated damages, and any applicable
penalties imposed pursuant to Section 203.
   (f) When findings and the order thereon are made affirming or
modifying a citation or proposed assessment of a civil penalty,
wages, liquidated damages, and any applicable penalties imposed
pursuant to Section 203 after hearing, a certified copy of these
findings and the order entered thereon may be entered by the Labor
Commissioner in the office of the clerk of the superior court in any
county in which the person assessed has property or in which the
person assessed has or had a place of business. The clerk,
immediately upon the filing, shall enter judgment for the state
against the person assessed in the amount shown on the certified
order.
   (g) A judgment entered pursuant to this section shall bear the
same rate of interest and shall have the same effect as other
judgments and be given the same preference allowed by the law on
other judgments rendered for claims for taxes. The clerk shall make
no charge for the service provided by this section to be performed by
him or her.
   (h) The civil penalties provided for in this section are in
addition to any other penalty provided by law.
   (i) This section shall not apply to any order of the commission
relating to household occupations.
  SEC. 4.  Section 2802 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   2802.  (a) An employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all
necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct
consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her
obedience to the directions of the employer, even though unlawful,
unless the employee, at the time of obeying the directions, believed
them to be unlawful.
   (b) All awards made by a court or by the Division of Labor
Standards Enforcement for reimbursement of necessary expenditures
under this section shall carry interest at the same rate as judgments
in civil actions. Interest shall accrue from the date on which the
employee incurred the necessary expenditure or loss.
   (c) For purposes of this section, the term "necessary expenditures
or losses" shall include all reasonable costs, including, but not
limited to, attorney's fees incurred by the employee enforcing the
rights granted by this section. 
   (d) In addition to recovery of penalties under this section in a
court action or proceedings pursuant to Section 98, the commissioner
may issue a citation against an employer or other person acting on
behalf of the employer who violates reimbursement obligations for an
amount determined to be due to an employee under this section. The
procedures for issuing, contesting, and enforcing judgments for
citations or civil penalties issued by the commissioner shall be the
same as those set forth in Section 1197.1. Amounts recovered pursuant
to this section shall be paid to the affected employee. 
  SEC. 5.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.