A former employee has filed a lawsuit against his previous employer, a California-based car wash company, alleging a series of labor law violations and wrongful termination. Ryan Martinson, the plaintiff, submitted the complaint to the Superior Court of California in Ventura County on March 13, 2025, accusing Alisam Oxnard Operating LLC, doing business as Waterdrops Express Car Wash, of numerous infractions including constructive wrongful termination and failure to pay due wages.
The complaint outlines that Ryan Martinson was employed by Waterdrops Express Car Wash from February 6, 2019, until May 1, 2024. During his tenure as an Assistant Store Manager, Martinson claims he faced unsafe working conditions and hostile treatment from management. The issues escalated in early 2024 when his employment status was abruptly changed from full-time to part-time without any formal notification or justification. According to Martinson's allegations, these actions were retaliatory and violated public policy under California law. "DEFENDANT effectively forced him to resign," states the complaint, citing unsafe work environments such as malfunctioning equipment that led to injuries and management's aggressive behavior towards him.
Martinson further accuses the defendant of failing to provide compliant meal and rest breaks due to understaffing and excessive workload. He claims he was often required to work off-the-clock without proper compensation for overtime hours. Additionally, Martinson alleges that upon his resignation, the company failed to pay all wages owed promptly and did not reimburse necessary expenditures incurred during his employment. These allegations are supported by references to specific sections of the California Labor Code which were purportedly violated by Waterdrops Express Car Wash.
The plaintiff is seeking various forms of relief from the court including payment for unpaid wages, statutory penalties for labor code violations, punitive damages for malicious conduct by the employer, and reimbursement for unreimbursed expenses. Moreover, Martinson requests an accounting review under court supervision and seeks restitution along with disgorgement of profits gained through unfair business practices.
Representing Ryan Martinson is attorney Peter J. Horton from Lawyers for Employee and Consumer Rights based in Burbank, CA. The case has been assigned Case No: #025 CU VT O40336 at the Superior Court of California in Ventura County.