In a significant legal move, a class action lawsuit has been filed against a prominent fast-food chain for alleged labor violations. Rodrigo Ramirez, representing himself and other similarly situated employees, lodged the complaint on March 3, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura. The defendants named in the case are Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC and Carl’s Jr. Funding LLC.
The lawsuit accuses Carl’s Jr., an American fast-food giant with numerous locations across California, of multiple violations of labor laws. According to the complaint, the company systematically failed to pay overtime wages and minimum wages as required by various sections of the California Labor Code. Ramirez alleges that Carl’s Jr. discouraged employees from recording all hours worked and did not provide compliant meal and rest breaks. "Defendants have maintained practices which have failed and continue to fail to pay Plaintiff and other non-exempt employees all wages," states the complaint.
Rodrigo Ramirez worked as a cook at a Carl's Jr. restaurant in Oxnard, California from October 2, 2024, to November 2024, earning approximately $21 per hour. He claims that during his employment, he was subjected to off-the-clock work without compensation for overtime or minimum wage for those hours. The complaint further asserts that the company failed to furnish accurate wage statements and timely pay wages during employment or upon termination.
The lawsuit outlines eight causes of action including failure to pay overtime wages, failure to provide compliant meal and rest periods, failure to furnish accurate wage statements, untimely payment of wages during employment and at termination, among others. These actions are claimed to be in violation of specific sections of the California Labor Code as well as Business & Professions Code §17200 et seq., which deals with unfair competition due to unlawful business acts.
Ramirez seeks several forms of relief from the court on behalf of himself and other affected employees. These include compensatory damages for unpaid wages and penalties under various sections of the Labor Code for inaccurate wage statements and untimely payments. The plaintiff also demands restitution for all monies due because of these unlawful practices along with attorneys' fees and costs incurred during litigation.
Representing Rodrigo Ramirez are attorneys Marcus J. Bradley, Kiley L. Grombacher, Corey S. Smith, and Kasra B. Ramez from Bradley/Grombacher LLP based in Westlake Village, CA. The case is being presided over by Judge Joan Foster under Case No: 2025 CUOE0S39366.