The U.S. Ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals, which covers California, recently ruled that an employee’s
release of unpaid wage claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act does
not necessarily release wage claims arising before the date the employee signed
the release.1
In
situations in which the release involves certain specified payroll periods, and
the employee raises claims that reach back earlier than the dates within the
release’s scope, the employee may still sue based on the earlier claims, even
though there was a release and payment of wages for the later period.
The HR Management & Compliance Report: How To Comply with California Wage & Hour Law, explains everything you need to know to stay in compliance with the state’s complex and ever-changing rules, laws, and regulations in this area. Coverage on bonuses, meal and rest breaks, overtime, alternative workweeks, final paychecks, and more.
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1 Dent v. Cox
Communications Las Vegas, Inc., U.S.C.A. 9th Cir. No. 05-15455, 2007