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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

SoCal company hit with PAGA lawsuit: 'Purely a shakedown on businesses'

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CHATSWORTH – The chief financial officer of Dytran Instruments, a maker of pressure sensors and accelerometers in Chatsworth, recently said that settling Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuit with a "disgruntled worker" both hurt the company and its employees.

The company believes the penalty sought was far higher than what a state regulator would typically seek and the penalty has already resulted in the firm's employees not receiving their usual holiday bonuses.

“The company was forced to settle this case. There was no way to fight it,” Ann Hackney, CFO of Dytran, said. “Yes, we support the fight against PAGA. It’s unfair for businesses and other employees.

“In our case, the lawsuit was brought by a disgruntled worker who had been employed with us for eight months," Hackney said. "At no time were we made aware of the violation or given a chance to correct it. If this had been brought to our attention, we would have immediately corrected the issue. No one was short paid and no one missed a meal period, the employees were simply taking their lunch, at their request, at five-and-a-half hours worked instead of five.”

Dytran is not alone in its stance against PAGA, and wrote in a message published on Fox & Hounds last month that it “take(s) pride” in what it does and “want(s) to accommodate simple requests that ultimately make their lives better.”

“The sad part about it was that our employees didn’t receive Christmas bonuses but the attorney walked away with a very large sum for showing up to mediation for one day," Hackney said. "This is purely a shakedown on businesses. There is no reason for PAGA. Most business owners would absolutely correct any violations immediately if notified and given the opportunity. We try to keep up with the labor code but it’s thousands of regulations and constant changes make this very difficult.”

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