A class-action lawsuit has been filed against a major health services corporation, alleging significant labor law violations. The complaint was submitted by Nathalie Ortiz on November 26, 2024, in the Ventura Superior Court against Cigna-Evernorth Services Inc., Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and other unnamed defendants. The suit accuses these companies of failing to adhere to California's labor laws regarding wages and employee rights.
Nathalie Ortiz, representing herself and others similarly situated, claims that Cigna-Evernorth Services Inc. and Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company systematically violated multiple provisions of the California Labor Code. These allegations include failure to pay minimum wage, overtime wages, provide meal periods, authorize rest periods, timely payment of final wages upon termination, accurate wage statements, indemnification for employee expenditures, and engaging in unfair business practices as outlined under California Business & Professions Code §§ 17200 et seq. Ortiz worked for the defendants from November 2022 until June 2024 as an hourly-paid non-exempt employee in Ventura County.
Ortiz alleges that throughout her employment period with the defendants, she was not compensated for all hours worked—both regular and overtime—and was often required to work off-the-clock without pay. Additionally, she asserts that the company failed to provide legally mandated meal breaks or compensate employees when such breaks were missed. "Defendants regularly required Plaintiff and the Class to work in excess of five consecutive hours a day without providing a 30-minute uninterrupted meal period," reads part of the complaint.
The plaintiff also highlights that upon termination of employment, employees did not receive their due wages promptly as required by law. Furthermore, Ortiz contends that wage statements provided by the company were inaccurate and incomplete. The complaint seeks various forms of relief including unpaid wages with interest, statutory penalties for each violation under relevant sections of the California Labor Code such as §226(e) for inaccurate wage statements and §203 for waiting time penalties.
Ortiz is represented by attorneys Justin F. Marquez (SBN 262417), Arrash T. Fattahi (SBN 333676), and Arman A. Salehi (SBN 351112) from Wilshire Law Firm PLC based in Los Angeles. The case has been assigned Case No.: 2024CUQE033807 at Ventura Superior Court with Brenda L. McCormick serving as Executive Officer and Clerk.