Golden Labor Services Class Action: Missed Rest Breaks and Unpaid Wages?
/
In 2025, Golden Labor Services, LLC was named in a class action lawsuit filed in Kern County Superior Court alleging multiple violations of California’s wage and hour laws. The lawsuit claims that the company failed to provide required rest breaks, did not pay employees for all time worked, and violated various provisions of the California Labor Code.
Case: Patricia Castillo v. Golden Labor Services, LLC
Court: Kern County Superior Court (California)
Case No.: BCV-25-102982
The Plaintiff: Castillo v. Golden Labor Services, LLC
Patricia Castillo, acting on behalf of herself and other current and former employees, filed a class action complaint alleging that Golden Labor Services failed to provide compliant meal breaks and rest periods and failed to pay employees for all compensable time worked. The lawsuit asserts that workers were required to maintain demanding schedules without sufficient rest time or relief from work duties, in violation of state labor laws. The plaintiffs allege that the company’s staffing practices and workload expectations routinely prevented employees from taking uninterrupted rest periods. In some instances, employees reportedly worked more than four hours without a ten-minute rest break or were denied additional breaks for longer shifts.
The Defendant: Castillo v. Golden Labor Services, LLC
Golden Labor Services, LLC, provides staffing and labor solutions in California, particularly within industries that require manual labor and field operations. According to the complaint, the company’s scheduling and break policies violated several sections of the California Labor Code, including those regulating wages, breaks, and reimbursement for work-related expenses. The lawsuit claims that Golden Labor Services failed to ensure employees were fully relieved of duty during rest periods, often due to inadequate staffing or excessive workload demands. Employees were also allegedly not compensated with the additional hour of premium pay required by law when rest periods were missed or interrupted.
A History of the Case: Castillo v. Golden Labor Services, LLC
Filed in September 2025, the class-action lawsuit remains pending in the Kern County Superior Court. It seeks certification for all non-exempt employees who worked for Golden Labor Services during the relevant time period. The lawsuit claims violations of California Labor Code Sections 201, 202, 203, 204, 210, 226.7, 510, 512, 558, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, 1198.5, and 2802. The plaintiffs seek compensation for unpaid wages, penalties, and restitution, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs.
The Main Question Being Considered: Castillo v. Golden Labor Services, LLC
The key issue before the court is whether Golden Labor Services violated the California Labor Code by failing to provide legally required rest breaks and by not paying employees the one-hour premium wage mandated when rest periods are missed. The court will also consider whether the company’s staffing and scheduling practices made it impossible for employees to take uninterrupted rest periods as required under California law, and whether those missed breaks resulted in unpaid wages and penalties owed to affected workers.
Why This Case Matters for California Workers:
If proven, the allegations could highlight widespread wage and hour violations impacting workers throughout the state’s staffing and labor services industry. The case underscores the importance of proper scheduling, staffing, and compliance with California’s strict rest break and compensation requirements. For employees, this case serves as a reminder that California law guarantees the right to take uninterrupted rest breaks and mandates premium pay if those rights are denied.
FAQ: Castillo v. Golden Labor Services, LLC
Q: What is the Golden Labor Services lawsuit about?
A: The lawsuit alleges that Golden Labor Services failed to provide required rest breaks, did not pay employees for all time worked, and failed to provide premium pay for missed breaks.
Q: What specific laws are at issue?
A: The lawsuit cites violations of California Labor Code Sections 201, 202, 203, 204, 210, 226.7, 510, 512, 558, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, 1198.5, and 2802 — covering areas such as overtime, minimum wage, rest periods, accurate wage statements, and reimbursement of work expenses.
Q: Why are rest breaks so important under California law?
A: Employers must provide a ten-minute rest period for every four hours worked, during which employees must be fully relieved of duty. If a rest break is missed, the employer must pay one additional hour of pay at the worker's regular pay rate.
Q: What does the lawsuit seek to recover?
A: The plaintiffs are seeking unpaid wages, statutory penalties, restitution, and attorneys’ fees.
Q: What happens next in the case?
A: The case is currently pending in Kern County Superior Court. The court will determine whether the company’s policies violated state wage and hour laws and whether class certification is appropriate.
If you have questions about California labor law, filing a California class action, or wage and hour violations, contact Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced employment law attorneys are ready to help at offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Riverside, and Chicago.
