Jorgensen & Salberg’s client (Reyes) worked as a medical assistant for Laguna Medical Care, Inc, for nearly three years.
Dr. Rizwana Mohseni, MD, runs and operates her medical practice under the name “Laguna Medical Care, Inc” (http://www.lagunamedicalcare.com/). Even though it was a direct violation of California labor laws, because of understaffing, Reyes claimed she went 571 days without a lunch or rest break, without receiving additional pay for missing her lunches and breaks, while she worked for Dr. Mohseni.
In California, an employer may not employ an employee for a work period of more than five hours per day without providing the employee with a meal period of not less than thirty minutes. Labor Code Section 512. If an employer fails to provide an employee a meal period in accordance with an applicable IWC Order, the employer must pay one additional hour of pay at the employee’s regular rate of pay for each workday that the meal period is not provided. IWC Orders and Labor Code Section 226.7.
On May 10, 2013, Jorgensen & Salberg represented Reyes at the Labor Board hearing. Following the hearing, the Labor Board awarded Reyes the following amounts:
Unpaid wages: $14,247.00
Interest: $ 753.33
Late-Payment Penalty: $ 3,600.00
TOTAL AWARD: $18,600.33