California Sets Precedent: No More Hiding Behind Bogus PEOs – Workers Rights Compliance, Precedent Set: Employers Can’t Outsource Accountability – Workers Rights Compliance, DLSE Draws the Line: Fraudulent PEO Coverage Doesn’t Cut It – Workers Rights Compliance, New Legal Benchmark: PEO Schemes Won’t Shield Employers – Workers Rights Compliance, Garcias Pallets Case Becomes First-Ever DLSE Precedent – Workers Rights Compliance, Historic First: California Labor Commissioner Issues Precedent Ruling on PEO Fraud – Workers Rights Compliance, DLSE Makes It Official—No Valid Workers’ Comp, No Excuses – Workers Rights Compliance, Real Coverage for Real Workers: Fraud Won’t Fly in California – Workers Rights Compliance, Workers Deserve Real Protection—Bogus Insurance Doesn’t Count – Workers Rights Compliance, Precedent Protects Workers from Fake Insurance Scams – Workers Rights Compliance, 50+ Workers, No Coverage—California Says Never Again – Workers Rights Compliance, Labor Law Victory: Worker Safety Over Corporate Shell Games – Workers Rights Compliance, $1.3M Lesson: Ignorance of the Law Is No Defense – Workers Rights Compliance, Certificates Can Lie—Employers Are Still on the Hook – Workers Rights Compliance, Fraudulent Coverage = Real Fines – Workers Rights Compliance, The Bill Comes Due: $1.3M in Fines for Workers' Comp Evasion – Workers Rights Compliance, Subcontracting Liability Doesn’t Mean Subcontracting Responsibility – Workers Rights Compliance, A Win for Honest PEOs, a Loss for Cheaters – Workers Rights Compliance, Leveling the Field: Fraudulent Operators Face Real Consequences – Workers Rights Compliance, PEO Accountability Is Here—Honest Brokers Applaud – Workers Rights Compliance, No More Free Ride for Fraudulent PEOs – Workers Rights Compliance, Justice for Legitimate Employers—Fraudsters Pay the Price – Workers Rights Compliance, From CompOne to CompassPilot—The Shell Game Ends Here – Workers Rights Compliance, How a Bogus Insurance Scheme Cost One Company $1.3 Million – Workers Rights Compliance, Unmasking the PEO Scam: California Cracks Down – Workers Rights Compliance, One Employer, Three PEOs, Zero Coverage—The Precedent Tells All – Workers Rights Compliance, DLSE Precedent Highlights Deep Industry Scams – Workers Rights Compliance, Fake Insurance Certificates Are Not a Defense—They’re a Liability – Workers Rights Compliance, Employers: Verify Your Workers’ Comp Coverage—Before the State Does – Workers Rights Compliance, Don’t Get Burned—Understand Joint Employer Liability Today – Workers Rights Compliance, Legit PEO? Or Just a New Name for the Same Old Scam? – Workers Rights Compliance, Your PEO’s Certificate Might Be Fake—Know the Signs – Workers Rights Compliance, Before You Contract Labor, Read This Precedent Decision – Workers Rights Compliance.
Imagine standing at a cash register for eight hours, day after day, without a single chance to sit. Or clocking in and realizing you won’t be paid for the last hour you worked. For decades, corporations treated these issues as minor complaints. But California workers fought back — and won millions. This blog covers the landmark seating and wage-hour cases that reshaped workplace rights. From CVS’s Supreme Court showdown to Walmart’s $65 million bombshell, these are stories of dignity, health, and the law. Case 1: Kilby v. CVS (2016 Supreme Court Decision) CVS cashiers and customer reps stocked shelves, bagged groceries, cleaned counters — and rang up sales. Most tasks could have been done sitting. But CVS forbade it. The California Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that employers must examine each specific task: If a job reasonably permits sitting, seats must be provided. Employers cannot argue “the overall job requires standing” as an excuse. This case set the legal foundation for every settlement that followed. Case 2: Bank of America – $15 Million Settlement Tellers across California stood behind counters, even when processing paperwork or waiting on customers. The work could be done seated, but chairs were denied. After years of litigation, Bank of America paid $15 million. Three named plaintiffs received $25,000 each. Workers collectively received millions in payouts. BofA had to implement a new seating policy and inform employees of their rights. As one teller put it: “We weren’t asking for luxury. We just wanted chairs.” Case 3: Safeway – $12 Million Settlement Cashier Eva Sharp led a class action spanning nearly eight years. She and thousands of Safeway cashiers stood long shifts without stools, despite registers allowing seating. The 2019 settlement totaled $12 million: Eva received ~$14,000. 30,000+ cashiers split about $1.8 million. Safeway promised to supply seating for two years. It was a small fortune for many minimum-wage workers — and proof persistence pays off. Case 4: Target – $9 Million Settlement Target’s bright red stores carried a dark reality: over 90,000 cashiers in California were denied seating. The company agreed to pay $9 million, with roughly $3.9 million in attorney fees. Though workers’ individual payouts were modest, the scale was enormous — showing how widespread the issue was. Case 5: Walmart – $65 Million Bombshell The largest seating case ever. Nearly 100,000 Walmart cashiers joined forces after years of standing at registers. Walmart agreed to pay $65 million in 2018. Individual payouts reached $25,000 per worker. Walmart changed practices nationwide. It wasn’t just a California win. It set off a national conversation: do workers deserve dignity at the register? The answer was clear. Case 6: AutoZone (Meda v. AutoZone, 2022) AutoZone claimed it “provided seats.” In reality, two chairs were tucked away in management areas, far from the registers. Workers didn’t even know they could sit. The court ruled that “mere availability” isn’t enough. Seats must be accessible at the workstation. Workers must be informed they’re allowed to sit. This case clarified that employers can’t just check a box — they must genuinely make seating available. Case 7: Ralphs (LaFace v. Ralphs, 2022) In a rare loss for workers, Ralphs argued its cashiers never had downtime. Courts agreed, ruling that constant customer flow meant no obligation to provide seating. The case also confirmed that PAGA seating claims are bench trials (decided by judges, not juries). This showed the law isn’t automatic — context matters. Broader Impact These cases changed more than policy. They changed lives: Health: Less back pain, fewer leg injuries. Dignity: Workers finally treated like humans, not props. Financial Relief: Payouts gave families breathing room. And beyond California, they inspired other states and employers to review seating rules voluntarily. Conclusion From CVS to Walmart, workers proved one truth: when they stand together, they win the right to sit. At WRCA, we fight to keep this momentum going. 👉 Join WRCA today. Subscribe, share, and support workers’ rights.
Works Rights Compliance Alliance 