In a unanimous decision, the California Supreme court announced that the state’s trial courts lack the inherent authority to dismiss abstruse Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims perceived as unwieldy or time-consuming. The ruling extends a friendly hand to employees across the state.
The verdict, handed down in the case of Estrada v. Royalty Carpet Mills, addresses a division between the Second and Fourth appellate districts over the power that judges possess to handle representative PAGA cases. These can sometimes encompass hundreds of workers alleging different Labor Code violations.
The court suggestion is clear: judges lack the inherent authority to sideline PAGA claims, irrespective of their complexity or time-consuming characteristics. The decision will undoubtedly impact the landmark labor cases involving hundreds, sometimes thousands, of workers in California and perhaps set the tone for future litigation across the country.
More detailed information on the ruling can be seen on The Recorder – Law.com.