# Wage and hour violation lawyer for groups of worker > Unpaid wage class actions, groups of workers, PAGA penalties overtime, meal breaks, expense reimbursements, not paid all hours Source: https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/paga-class-action-lawyer/ Firm: Employment Lawyers Group — employee-side employment lawyers since 1993. Serving Fresno County, California. Phone: (818) 783-7300 (calling is the fastest way to reach the legal team) Office: 13418 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Contact form: https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/contact/ Consultations are free and confidential; cases are taken on contingency. --- When a California employer violates labor laws, the issue often affects dozens, if not hundreds, of workers. In Fresno and throughout the Central Valley, employees who have suffered wage theft, been denied proper breaks, or been forced to work off the clock have two powerful legal tools to seek collective justice: a **Wage and Hour Class Action** and a lawsuit under the **Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA)**. Our experienced Fresno employment lawyers are dedicated to utilizing both these mechanisms to hold large corporations accountable and recover compensation for groups of employees. ## What is a PAGA Lawsuit? The Private Attorneys General Act allows an aggrieved employee to step into the shoes of the State of California's Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) and sue their employer for civil penalties. PAGA is not about recovering your individual wages; it is about punishing the employer for systemic labor code violations affecting many employees. - **Representative Action:** The employee acts as a "private attorney general." - **Penalties:** The lawsuit seeks civil penalties for each violation. - **Distribution:** Of the recovered penalties,up to 65% goes to the LWDA, and 35% is distributed to the affected employees. - **Key Benefit:** PAGA claims are often exempt from mandatory arbitration agreements, allowing many employees to pursue their claims in public court. ### **How Does PAGA Differ from a Class Action?** While both are tools for collective relief in California wage law, they have significant differences. Choosing the right legal path is critical for maximizing recovery. | Feature | PAGA Lawsuit | Wage & Hour Class Action | | --- | --- | --- | | **Primary Goal** | To seek **Civil Penalties** for state labor law violations. | To recover **Actual Damages** (unpaid wages, missed break pay, etc.). | | **Court Approval** | Does **not** require court certification. | Requires the court to **certify** the group of employees (the Class). | | **Compensation** | Employee receives up to 35% of the penalty recovery. | Employee receives 100% of their proportional damages. | | **Arbitration Impact** | Often allows claims to proceed in court despite arbitration agreements. | Can often be forced into private arbitration if an agreement exists. | **Common Wage Violations We Handle in Fresno** Many employers in the Fresno area commit the same labor code violations, making them prime targets for PAGA or class action lawsuits. These violations include: - **Failure to Provide Meal and Rest Breaks:** Not allowing employees to take a timely 30-minute unpaid meal period or 10-minute paid rest period. - **Unpaid Overtime:** Failing to pay time-and-a-half or double-time for hours worked beyond eight in a day or forty in a week. - **Off-the-Clock Work:** Requiring employees to perform work tasks before clocking in or after clocking out. - **Misclassification of Employees:** Incorrectly labeling workers as "Independent Contractors" or "Exempt" salary employees to avoid paying overtime and providing breaks. **Ready to Fight for the Rights of You and Your Co-Workers?** If you suspect your employer is engaging in widespread labor law violations, contact our Fresno PAGA and class action attorneys immediately. We offer a **confidential consultation** to review your situation and determine the best legal strategy to maximize recovery for all affected employees. To speak to a Fresno Employee Lawyer, call us today at [(818) 783-7300](tel:8187837300) **Relevant Links for Employees** Find out more about your rights and how we can help: - [**Confidential Consultation**](https://worklawyerca.com/free-labor-lawyer-consultation/) - Start your case review. - [Fresno Employee Lawyer Home](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/) - Learn about our full range of services. - [California Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuits](https://worklawyerca.com/wage-lawyer/) - General information on class actions. - [PAGA Lawsuits in the Central and Southern Valley](https://riversideemploymentlawyer.com/) - Learn about similar successful cases. ## Our Firm: No Upfront Fees or Costs ### Contingency Fee Representation All employment cases for employees are taken on a **contingency basis**. We are only paid a fee **when and if we win** your case, and we **advance all litigation costs**. Our goal is to make expert legal representation accessible to every hardworking employee. ### Serving Fresno County We have proudly served all of Fresno County since 1993. Ready to discuss your case? (818) 783-7300 Submit A Contact Form The Employment Lawyers Group has successfully handled 2,000+ Separate California Employment Cases ## Media Engagements ## Sample Case Results breach of commission contract $1,150,000 Unpaid commissions of two plaintiffs unpaid wages $875,000 For 4 oil field service industry workers whose times worked were not recorded on timesheets and were on-call forced to work without pay standby pay case $800,000 Controlled stand by class action settlement Disclaimer: These results are based on the facts of these specific cases and do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case. ## Practice Areas [Discrimination Age, Disability, FMLA/CFRA, Gender, National Origin, Pregnancy, Race, and Sexual Orientation discrimination claims.](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/discrimination/) [Unpaid Wages & Overtime Recovering earnings for overtime, bonuses, commissions, meal & rest break violations, and prevailing wage claims.](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/unpaid-wages/) [Sexual Harassment Compassionate and effective representation for sexual harassment and hostile work environment claims.](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/sexual-harassment/) [Wrongful Termination Representing employees terminated in violation of public policy, contracts, or California and federal law.](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/wrongful-termination/) [Leaves & Retaliation Protecting employees who face adverse actions after reporting illegal activity or taking protected medical leave.](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/leaves-of-absence/) [Whistleblowers Advocating for employees who report fraud, waste, or abuse under California and federal whistleblower protection laws.](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/whistle-blower/) ## Our California Locations ### Bakersfield [BakersfieldLaborAttorney.com](https://bakersfieldlaborattorney.com) 5401 Business Park S, #214, Bakersfield CA 93309 [(661) 412-9600](tel:6614129600) ### Los Angeles [EmployeeLawCA.com](https://employeelawca.com/) 611 Wilshire Blvd, #1023, Los Angeles CA 90017 [(323) 525-1600](tel:3235251600) ### Orange County [WorkLawyerOC.com](https://worklawyeroc.com) 2522 Chambers Rd, #100, Tustin CA 92780 [(714) 210-8000](tel:7142108000) ### Riverside [RiversideEmploymentLawyer.com](https://riversideemploymentlawyer.com) 9496 Magnolia Ave, #208, Riverside CA 92503 [(951) 367-1000](tel:9513671000) ### Sacramento [SacramentoLaborAttorney.com](https://sacramentolaborattorney.com) 777 Campus Commons Rd, #200, Sacramento CA 95825 [(916) 340-0000](tel:9163400000) ### San Bernardino [EmploymentAttorneySanBernardino.com](https://employmentattorneysanbernardino.com) 337 N. Vineyard Ave, #400, Ontario CA 91764 [(909) 663-2100](tel:9096632100) ### San Diego [SanDiegoEmployeeLawyer.com](https://sandiegoemployeelawyer.com) 330 "A" St, #60, San Diego CA 92101 [(619) 320-3000](tel:6193203000) ### San Francisco / Bay Area [BayAreaEmploymentAttorney.net](https://bayareaemploymentattorney.net) 524 Union St, #400, San Francisco CA 94133 [(877) 525-0700](tel:8775250700) ### San Jose / Silicon Valley [SiValleyLaborLawyer.com](https://sivalleylaborlawyer.com) 111 N. Market St, #300, San Jose CA 95113 [(877) 525-0700](tel:8775250700) ### Sherman Oaks [WorkLawyerCA.com](https://worklawyerca.com) 13418 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks CA 91423 [(818) 783-7300](tel:8187837300) ### Torrance / South Bay [JobTerminationLaw.com](https://jobterminationlaw.com/) 3655 Torrance Blvd, 3rd Floor, Torrance CA 90503 [(310) 842-8600](tel:3108428600) ### Ventura / Oxnard [VenturaEmploymentLawyer.com](https://venturaemploymentlawyer.com) 4030 West Hemlock St, Oxnard CA 93035 [(805) 200-0100](tel:8052000100) ### Additional Sites [BostonLaborLaw.com](https://bostonlaborlaw.com) [DcLaborAttorney.com](https://dclaborattorney.com) [FresnoEmployeeLawyer.com](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com) [JobLawyer.net](https://joblawyer.net) [MarylandLaborAttorney.com](https://marylandlaborattorney.com/) [ModemStud.com](https://modemstud.com) [VintageLosAngeles.org](https://vintagelosangeles.org) [WorkplaceLawyer.org](https://workplacelawyer.org) ## About Firm Founder, Karl Gerber Firm Founder, **Karl Gerber**, has been an employment and wrongful termination attorney since **1993**. He has represented a wide range of employees throughout California. Mr. Gerber has won **51 of the binding arbitrations and jury trials** he first chaired, and a number of his appeals are published. This deep trial experience is the foundation of the firm's strategic approach to litigation. The employment attorneys employed by the Employment Lawyers Group have worked at the firm well in excess of five years, have also tried many different labor cases, and have all been **extensively trained on employment and wrongful termination law by Karl Gerber**. [Meet Karl Gerber](https://fresnoemployeelawyer.com/karl-gerber/) ## Ready to Discuss Your Case? Your rights as an employee matter. Submit a contact form and we'll get back to you. Submit A Contact Form [Call (818) 783-7300 Now](tel:8187837300)