SB 642: What Changed in California Equal Pay Law on January 1, 2026

$6.8M

San Bernardino County wage and hour class action settlement: a class of employees alleged their employer failed to pay wages owed and sought related penalties.

$5.5M

Oakland wage and hour class action settlement: senior living facility employees alleged unpaid wages, meal and rest break violations and unreimbursed expenses in class and representative claims.

$4.0M

Hawthorne wage and hour class action settlement: a manufacturer's hourly employees alleged missed rest breaks, short or late meal periods and unpaid wages, plus unreimbursed work expenses.

$3.9M

Newport Beach wage and hour class action settlement: hourly manufacturing plant employees alleged late and interrupted meal and rest breaks and sought unpaid premium pay.

$3.5M

Camarillo wage and hour class action settlement: hourly employees alleged meal and rest period violations and sought unpaid wages plus the related premiums.

$3.5M

Alameda County wage and hour class action settlement: hourly workers at a security systems company alleged unpaid wages and meal and rest period violations, and sought break premiums.

$3.3M

Irvine wage and hour class action settlement: hourly employees of a products company alleged they were denied compliant meal and rest breaks and sought premium pay and expense reimbursement.

$3.1M

Torrance wage and hour class action settlement: retail store employees alleged unpaid wages and meal and rest period violations, seeking final pay, waiting-time penalties and expense reimbursement.

$3.0M

Thousand Oaks wage and hour class action settlement: a manufacturer's employees alleged unpaid pre-shift work and noncompliant meal and rest breaks, seeking break premiums and expense reimbursement.

$3.0M

Orange County wage and hour class action settlement: a healthcare employer's hourly workers alleged unpaid overtime and meal and rest break violations and sought premium pay and expense reimbursement.

$3.0M

San Diego wage and hour class action settlement: hourly employees alleged unpaid wages and break violations, pursuing meal and rest period premiums and repayment of work costs.

$2.8M

Riverside County wage and hour class action settlement: a restaurant franchise's hourly workers alleged unpaid wages and meal and rest period violations and sought to recover their work expenses.

$2.8M

Brentwood wage and hour class action settlement: an education provider's hourly staff alleged unpaid wages and meal and rest period violations and sought premium pay and expense reimbursement.

$2.5M

San Francisco County wage and hour class action settlement: hourly campus employees sought unpaid wages and work expense reimbursement, alleging meal and rest period violations.

$2.5M

San Jose wage and hour class action settlement: hourly car dealership employees alleged they were underpaid, denied proper meal and rest periods and not reimbursed for work expenses.

$2.5M

San Francisco County wage and hour class action settlement: hourly clinic staff alleged off-the-clock work, meal and rest period violations, unpaid premiums and unreimbursed work expenses.

$2.5M

San Leandro wage and hour class action settlement: hourly employees alleged unpaid overtime, unpaid wages and meal and rest period violations, and claimed break premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

$2.4M

Orange County wage and hour class action settlement: restaurant employees alleged a franchise operator failed to provide legally required meal and rest breaks or pay the premiums owed.

$2.2M

Los Angeles wage and hour class action settlement: hourly hospital employees alleged their employer failed to provide meal periods required by California law.

$2.1M

San Diego County wage and hour class action settlement: franchise restaurant workers alleged unpaid off-the-clock work, late meal and rest breaks without premium pay, and unreimbursed work gear.

$2.0M

Alameda County wrongful termination settlement: an employee who reported a coworker's harassment and helped a colleague file a complaint alleged being fired months later. The employer cited a layoff.

$2.0M

Tulare wage and hour class action settlement: food processing employees alleged interrupted rest breaks without premium pay and no reimbursement for personal phones used for work.

$2.0M

Watsonville wage and hour class action settlement: hourly workers at an agricultural company alleged unpaid overtime, interrupted lunches and missing rest breaks during long shifts.

$1.6M

Barstow wage and hour class action settlement: hourly workers at a vehicle-services business alleged unpaid off-the-clock time, meal and rest break violations and unreimbursed uniform costs.

$1.0M

Los Angeles County workplace retaliation settlement: an employee alleged being fired weeks after reporting harassment and wage violations. The employer said the position was eliminated.

$910K

Gardena wage and hour class action settlement: hourly employees alleged they were denied meal and rest breaks without premium pay and had to cover supplies and phone costs.

$825K

Oakland leave of absence settlement: a worker who had come back from approved medical leave was later fired and alleged retaliation and wrongful termination by the employer.

$750K

Woodland workplace harassment settlement: a worker alleged sexual harassment and discrimination, and that supervisors took no action on repeated complaints before the worker was forced to quit.

$750K

Los Angeles leave of absence settlement: an employee let go while on approved medical leave alleged disability discrimination and wrongful termination. The employer cited restructuring.

$675K

Carson workplace discrimination settlement: an office employee who was let go alleged discrimination and harassment at work and brought a wrongful termination claim against the employer.

$650K

Los Angeles leave of absence settlement: a worker fired while on medical leave brought claims against the employer, alleging disability discrimination and wrongful termination.

$500K

Santa Ana workplace retaliation settlement: an employee alleged being let go after reporting inappropriate conduct by a manager. The company called it a layoff.

$500K

Fresno workplace retaliation settlement: an employee alleged being fired after an ethics complaint about patient privacy violations. The claims included discrimination and wrongful termination.

$500K

Commerce leave of absence settlement: an employee on approved medical leave alleged being fired weeks before a scheduled return, with no prior warnings. The claims included disability discrimination.

$500K

Morgan Hill disability discrimination settlement: an employee alleged being let go during medical treatment after a request for remote work was refused. The employer cited hardship.

$500K

Los Angeles County disability discrimination settlement: an employee alleged being fired for requesting more medical leave while coworkers were already covering the work. The employer cited hardship.

$425K

Anaheim disability discrimination settlement: an employee facing medical treatment alleged being fired in retaliation within two weeks of complaining about a manager, despite no write-ups.

$395K

Riverside disability discrimination settlement: an employee alleged being fired after asking to extend medical leave. The employer said the leave was exhausted.

$340K

Santa Clara County wrongful termination settlement: an employee alleged being fired after complaining to human resources about a manager. The employer raised performance concerns after the complaint.

$325K

Lake County workplace discrimination settlement: an employee alleged being fired days after requesting an accommodation. The claims included disability discrimination and retaliation.

$260K

California workplace discrimination settlement: an employee alleged the employer denied reasonable accommodations and then ended the job, bringing discrimination and wrongful termination claims.

$250K

Bakersfield leave of absence settlement: an employee on doctor-ordered medical leave alleged being fired during the leave. The termination letter gave no reason.

$225K

Campbell wrongful termination settlement: an employee who sought a medical accommodation alleged being fired in retaliation days after human resources closed a harassment complaint.

$220K

Signal Hill wage and hour class action settlement: employees alleged they missed meal and rest breaks without receiving premium pay and were not paid for all time worked.

$200K

Hemet wage and hour class action settlement: hourly thrift store employees alleged meal and rest period violations, seeking premium pay, cell phone expense reimbursement and PAGA penalties.

$185K

Shasta County wage and hour settlement: an employee brought a representative claim on behalf of healthcare employees, alleging meal and rest period violations, unpaid wages and unreimbursed expenses.

$176K

Newport Beach wrongful termination settlement: a restaurant employee alleged being fired after reporting a coworker's sexual harassment. The employer claimed a layoff but brought that coworker back.

$175K

San Francisco disability discrimination settlement: an employee with disabling medical conditions alleged being denied accommodations and wrongfully terminated from a salaried position while disabled.

$174K

Tulare County disability discrimination settlement: an employee on medical leave alleged being fired while still disabled and awaiting further treatment. The employer cited a single write-up.

$170K

Torrance wrongful termination settlement: a care facility employee alleged being fired the same day the employee reported medication handling concerns and racial mistreatment to corporate.

$125K

Downey leave of absence settlement: an employee alleged being fired while on medical leave after a warning that filing for protected leave would lead to termination.

$125K

Sacramento County disability discrimination settlement: an employee on intermittent medical leave alleged being fired because of a medical condition and age. The claims also included retaliation.

$116K

San Diego wage and hour settlement: a restaurant employee alleged unpaid overtime from edited time sheets and straight-time pay for extra hours, plus missed meal and rest breaks.

$100K

Victorville wage and hour class action settlement: hourly restaurant employees alleged their employer left wages unpaid, violated meal and rest period rules and did not reimburse work expenses.