Movie theater employees in California are moving forward with a class-action lawsuit against cinema chain Cinemark, alleging that the company failed to comply with state law that requires overtime pay rates to be made explicit on pay stubs. Across the state, there are at least 843 people eligible to become part of the lawsuit, said lawyers working on the case. Their statements were based on Cinemark’s disclosures in the case about the number of incorrect statements issued to workers. On August 16, a federal judge agreed to certify the class-action lawsuit, requiring the theater company to provide the names and contact details for workers who could have received incorrect pay stubs.
Unless they choose to opt out, affected Cinemark employees will receive an eventual share of a payment that could result from a win at trial or a settlement out of court. The state law in question in the case is designed to help workers protect themselves and ensure that they are receiving proper compensation for their hours when they work overtime. While federal law does not require this level of disclosure, California’s labor code provides additional protection for workers.
The law mandates a $50 penalty for each employee for the first violation of the pay stub regulations. For each additional violation, a $100 fine can be assessed for each affected employee. When the problem stretches across multiple pay periods and substantial workforces, the total sum can be significant and grow quickly.
The pay stub law in California is one way for workers to verify their income and ensure that they are properly paid for all of the hours they work. When employees face wage and hour disputes after they are not paid properly for their labor, they may want to work with an employment lawyer to seek legal action for the compensation due.
