Opinion
PAGA Settlement Threats

The Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) has become a weapon used by unscrupulous trial attorneys to extort millions from business owners and non-profit organizations. Grey Davis and Joe Dunn championed this law in 2004 and Grey Davis was recalled due to gross mismanagement of California finances. Joe Dunn was recently fired as executive director of the California State Bar due to excessive international travel expenses. The bottom line is the two individuals who set this law up have a track record of illegal behavior.
PAGA is known as the “Sue Your Boss Law”, and minor infractions such as missing a period on a paycheck stub or incorrect employee ID could cost an employer millions. The state thought it was a good idea to deputize employees to enforce labor law violations with their attorneys. My question is with a California Labor Law Digest of over 1,100 pages how are the deputized citizens capable of knowing what is right or wrong with the influence of trial attorneys?
In a recent Detroit Free Press article it states across Michigan, police departments have enlisted civilians to work alongside licensed officers to patrol communities and even assist real cops with arrests. But unlike the regular officers licensed by the state, these armed civilians are unregulated. The state agency responsible for police licensing and training is not regulating reserve officers despite gaining authority last year to do just that and has no idea how many such unlicensed volunteers there are statewide. This lack of oversight continues despite numerous incidents of questionable even illegal conduct by reserve officers in recent years.
Does this sound familiar? We should evaluate a few cases and see what you think. One manufacturer in souther California offered a flexible work schedule with employees coming in at various start times. The company was doing what they thought was a good thing. The employees who were friends and family wanted to eat together and some ate beyond 5 hours, anywhere from 10 minutes to 40 minutes. The penalties and fines cost over a million dollars. Another company who had been in business since the 1940’s had a start time at 5:00 and lunch hour at 11:00 and had been doing this since they started. No one ever complained, they got their break in between, although their lunch was taken beyond 5 hours and cost the over $500,000. What is worse is the trial attorneys get the majority of these settlements while the employees end up with pennies.
If a disgruntled employee was not influenced by a trial attorney this case would of never taken place and there would not be more than 5,000 cases a year filed jamming up the courts. UBER was sued under PAGA and each employee received $1.08 each and the trial attorneys took home over 2.6 million dollars!
This law is only in California and needs to be repealed, just like Grey Davis. There have been many legislative attempts although the trial attorneys deep pockets have paid off with donations during election season. Labor turns a blind eye as if you are unionized and have a collective bargaining agreement, you don’t even need to take a lunch. This fix is simple, right the wrong and change this law. Since 2004 there have been more than 35,000 victims and counting.
Bizz Buzz
Colton Resident Receives Free College Tuition and Books Through Walmart’s Education Program

By Saul Martinez, Contributing Writer for IEBJ
#bizzbuzz
This year marks the five-year anniversary of Walmart’s Live Better U (LBU) education program. Over the past five years, the company has saved associates across the country nearly half a billion in education costs, reflecting the company’s commitment to creating a path for everyone to learn and grow. In California, we’ve seen 5,620 Walmart and Sam’s Club associates participate in Live Better U over the past five years.
One such success story is Robert Gay, who lives in Colton, CA, and earned his college degree – fully paid for by Walmart. Robert was stuck in a stagnant position at his previous company, hindered by the absence of a degree that prevented him from advancing further. However, upon discovering the Live Better U benefits offered by Walmart, he decided to take a leap of faith and join their team with the intention of completing his degree. After successfully graduating with a bachelor’s degree in October 2020, he now takes immense pride in his accomplishment of accepting a promotion to associate general manager. Throughout his journey, Robert received overwhelming support from his local team, who not only empathized with his workload challenges but also aided when needed.
Most individuals typically encounter Walmart through its retail outlets. The Inland Empire Business Journal had the opportunity to explore a consolidation center of Walmart situated in Colton, California. Our visit left us deeply impressed by the remarkable cleanliness and impeccable condition of the facility, almost reminiscent of a high-end showroom.
While on the tour, we observed the diligent measures taken by the leadership to maintain employee motivation and awareness regarding the daily, weekly, and monthly performance Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the facility. These KPIs were prominently displayed on digital monitors throughout the premises. The Colton leadership created a mascot and call their team the Colton Eagles.
We found ourselves deeply impressed by this aspect of Walmart, which is often hidden from public view. Walmart unquestionably stands out as a company that not only offers excellent career opportunities but also boasts a remarkable 100% tuition reimbursement program. If you are seeking a career in the Inland Empire, this proves to be an exceptional workplace choice.
Whether someone is chasing their first job or the opportunity that will define their career, Walmart is committed to creating pathways of opportunity for everyone.
Economy
The Recession That Didn’t Happen… And Why Most Forecasters Got It Wrong
Business
Thriving Without the Status: Local Small Business Owner Shares his Journey as an Undocumented Entrepreneur

By Jessica Anguiano, Southern California Outreach Manager at Small Business Majority and Content Contributor at IEBJ
Alfonso Garcia De Alba Rubio is a proud Mexican national and mechanic business owner in Fontana. His undocu-hustle journey began after he moved to the United States in 2006, with nothing more than a dream, skills in the auto mechanic industry, and a strong work ethic.
His story of perseverance, hard work, dedication, and determination is worthy of admiration. Alfonso is one of California’s estimated 1.1 million undocumented individuals who participates in the workforce. He carved out his career in mechanics and car transmissions and started from the bottom up–literally and figuratively. His business started out of a restroom, but he quickly recognized a gap in the market for his services. His customers encouraged him to start his undocu-hustle, a practice that motivates and inspires new entrepreneurs to launch their businesses despite not having legal immigration status.
He shares, “Eventually, I was able to rent a garage space that catapulted my budding business, even if it came at a high cost.” In fact, half of his revenue went toward covering rent expenses at the garage. But just three years later, Alfonso managed to save enough money to start his own shop, where he felt a new sense of economic independence that allowed him to expand his business. Although he encountered challenges in obtaining the necessary paperwork to launch a legitimate business, he persevered and continued on his entrepreneurial path.
Like many other entrepreneurs, Alfonso operated his business through sheer determination and hard work. Despite not being able to qualify for emergency funding or state and government assistance at the height of the pandemic, he has managed to keep his business afloat and continue employing people in his community.
He says, “Regardless of what some might say, I am here to create opportunities and not take jobs.” Immigrant entrepreneurs have continued to encounter myriad challenges in their journey to business ownership, and access to capital is one of their top challenges. But their contributions to our nation and our economy are what keep us thriving and innovating, and we are better for it.
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