Torres v. Disney
Torres v. Disney
223819)
efilings@westcoattriallawyers.com
Ronald L. Zambrano (State Bar No. 255613)
ron@westcoasttriallawyers.com
Ashley J. Garay (State Bar No. 31813)
ashleyg@westcoasttriallawyers.com
WEST COAST TRIAL LAWYERS, APLC
350 South Grand Avenue, Suite 3350
Los Angeles, California 90071
Telephone: (213) 927-3700
Facsimile: (213) 927-3701
“Plaintiffs”) on behalf of themselves and acting for the interests of other current and former
Civil Procedure § 382, on behalf of Plaintiffs and all individuals working or having worked as
“Maintenance Engineers” ("Class Members") for Defendants WALT DISNEY PARKS AND
RESORTS US, INC. and DISNEY WORLDWIDE SERVICES INC, (hereinafter “DISNEY” or
2. Plaintiff is informed and believe and, based thereon allege, that the Class
Members consist of approximately 100 current and former Maintenance Engineer employees
This class of employees were required by DISNEY to supply their own hand tools.
the required double the minimum as prescribed by the Wage Orders for requiring they bring
4. Because of the underpayment of wages (i.e., less than the required double the
minimum wage) DISNEY failed to pay the correct regular rate, overtime rate or daily rate.
DISNEY also failed to accurately itemize in wage statements for failure to set the correct rate as
TORRES and the proposed Class in paying less than the required double minimum wage,
DISNEY failed to: (1) provide final paychecks immediately upon involuntary termination or
6. Plaintiff, on behalf of himself and all Class Members, bring this action pursuant
to Labor Code §§ 201, 202, 203, 218.5, 218.6, 226, 226.7, 226.8, 510, 1194, 1197, 1198, 2082,
2998 et seq. California Code of Regulations, Title 8, § 11050 and Industrial Welfare
Commission Wage Order No. 4, for unpaid wages, penalties, injunctive and other equitable
jurisdiction is proper in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, State of
California.
8. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendants because Defendants
conduct business in California and because the events or transactions giving rise to this action
Defendant is proper in the Superior Court of California for Orange County, because this is
where Plaintiff is employed as an Assistant Maintenance Engineer, and this is where the
wrongful misconduct alleged herein occurred. Defendants operate a theme park and hotel,
employ hourly employees, conduct business, and commit Labor Code violations in Orange
County, and each Defendant is within the jurisdiction of this Court for serve of process
purposes. The unlawful acts alleged herein have a direct effect on Plaintiff and those similarly
situated within the State of California and within Orange County. Defendants employ numerous
PARTIES
11. Defendant WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS US, INC, and DISNEY
“DEFENDANT EMPLOYER”) is, and at all times herein mentioned, was a Florida corporation
that is engaged in the ownership and operation of hotels in Orange County with the capacity to
sue and to be sued, and doing business, with the same principal place of business located at
12. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereon allege, that each of the
Defendants herein were at all times the agent, employee, or representative of each remaining
Defendant and were at all times herein acting within the scope and purpose of said agency and
employment. Plaintiffs further allege that as to each Defendant, whether named or referred to as
a fictitious name, supervised, ratified, controlled, acquiesced in, adopted, directed, substantially
participated in, and/or approved the acts, errors, or omissions, of each remaining Defendant.
13. On information and belief, Plaintiff and all other members of the proposed Class
provide their own hand tools and equipment. On information and belief, Defendants willfully
failed to pay their employees and members of the Plaintiff Class required double-minimum
wage for supplying their own tools for essential job performance as prescribed by the Wage
Orders.
14. On information and belief, Plaintiff and all other members of the proposed Class
experienced Defendants’ common company policy of providing no rest periods and no meal
periods to employees working at least five hour shifts or second meal periods for shifts of at
least ten hours nor compensation in lieu thereof. On information and belief, Defendants willfully
meal period compensation due and owing to them upon termination of their employment with
Defendants.
15. On information and belief, Plaintiff and all other members of the proposed Class
experienced Defendants’ common company policy of failing to fully compensate Plaintiff Class
for hours worked in excess of 8 hours in a day, nor paid the correct overtime rate for applicable
16. The true names and capacities of the Defendants named herein as DOES 1
through 250, inclusive, whether individual, corporate, partnership, association, or otherwise, are
unknown to Plaintiffs who therefore sue these Defendants by such fictitious names. Plaintiff
will request leave of court to amend this Complaint to allege their true names and capacities at
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
17. Defendant DISNEY owns and operates theme parks and hotels throughout
California, including Disneyland Hotel, and, at all times during the liability period, has
conducted business in Orange County and elsewhere within California. At this hotel, Defendant
18. On or around February 14, 2022, Plaintiff TORRES started working for
19. During the liability period, Plaintiff TORRES and the Proposed Class were
(hereinafter “Maintenance Engineer(s)”) and were paid on an hourly basis. Plaintiff and the
members of the Plaintiff Class were not provided rest or meal periods or compensation in lieu
Wage Orders.
20. On information and belief, Defendants are and were well aware that Maintenance
Engineers were not provided rest and meal periods. Defendants' denial of wages and other
compensation due to Plaintiff and members of the Plaintiff Class in the position of Maintenance
21. Under California Wage Orders, employees required to bring their own tools must
22. DISNEY did not pay at least double the minimum wage to Plaintiff and the
Proposed Class who were entitle to same under the Wage Orders for being required to bring
23. Under California law, all employers must provide wage statement listing twelve
specific items as set forth in Labor Code § 226, including the accurate accounting of hours
worked.
24. Plaintiffs and Class Members were not paid the correct rate for all the overtime
hours they worked on those periods as the regular rate was not the required double-minimum
wage.
25. For those in the proposed class that were fired, DISNEY failed to provide unpaid
wages in their last paycheck, as they were under not calculated correctly from the inception.
26. To date, DISNEY has not paid Plaintiffs and Class Members all their wages due
27. Plaintiff worked approximately 40 hours per week, sometimes more, sometimes
less.
32. This Plaintiffs brings this action on behalf of himself, and all others similarly
situated as a Class Action pursuant to § 382 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Plaintiffs seek to
Rules of Court, to amend or modify the Class description with greater specificity or further
34. This action has been brought and may properly be maintained as a Class Action
under Code of Civil Procedure § 382 because there is a well-defined community of interest in
A. Numerosity
35. The potential members of the Class as defined are so numerous or many that
joinder of all the members of the Class is impracticable. While the precise number of Class
Members has not been determined at this time, Plaintiffs are informed and believe, and on that
basis allege, that DISNEY currently employs, and during the relevant time periods employed,
36. There are questions of law and fact common to the Class that predominate over
any questions affecting only individual Class Members. These common questions of law and
(a) Whether Defendants' failure to double the minimum wage despite the
hand tools and equipment is illegal under Wage Order No. 4-2001 § 9(B);
(a) Whether Defendants' policy or practice of not paying the correct premium
for meal premiums for on-duty breaks is illegal under Labor Code §§
compensation, at the correct overtime rate, for the hours they worked over
(c) Whether Defendants violated Labor Code §§ 226 by not providing accurate pay
stubs for failure to state the correct hourly rate of double-minimum wage;
Engineer all their wages due in their final paychecks immediately upon
voluntary resignation, is unlawful under Wage Order No. 4-5, and Labor
C. Typicality
37. Plaintiffs' claims are typical of the claims of the Class. Plaintiffs and all
members of the Class sustained injuries and damages arising out of and caused by Defendants'
common course of conduct and policies in violation of laws, regulations that have the force and
effect of law and statutes as alleged herein. Plaintiffs' claims are thereby representative of and
co-extensive with the claims of the class. Plaintiffs' claims are typical of the claims of the
members of the Class because they were hourly-paid employees who, like the other members of
the Class, sustained damages and losses arising out of the Defendants’ unlawful conduct, which
includes, but is not limited to, the following: requiring employees to purchase and bring
essential tools and equipment necessary for performance without paying double the minimum
wage pursuant to the Wage Orders, repeatedly failing to pay – or indeed ever pay –for all earned
hours worked double the rate of the double-minimum wage requirement for requiring
employees to bring own tools; failure to provide accurate wage statements; failure to pay meal
break premiums, and failing to pay Plaintiffs and Class Members all wages due immediately
D. Adequacy of Representation
38. Plaintiffs are members of the Class, do not have any conflicts of interest with
other Class Members, and will prosecute the case vigorously on behalf of the Class. Counsel
representing Plaintiffs are competent and experienced in litigating large employment class
actions, including wage and overtime class actions. Plaintiffs will fairly and adequately
adjudication of this controversy. Individual joinder of all Class Members is not practicable, and
questions of law and fact common to the Class predominate over any questions affecting only
individual members of the Class. Each Class Member has been damaged or suffered injury and
is entitled to recovery by reason of Defendants' illegal policies and/or practices including but not
limited to failing to pay – or indeed ever pay -- overtime compensation to its employees; failing
to pay double the minimum wage; failing to provide accurate wage statements; and failing to
pay Plaintiffs and Class Members all wages due immediately upon involuntary termination,
within 72 hours of voluntary resignation, paying said final wages at the place of employment,
and including all wages in said final paychecks. Class Action treatment will allow those
similarly situated persons to litigate their claims in the manner that is most efficient and
40. Class Action treatment will allow those similarly situated persons to litigate their
claims in the manner that is most efficient and economical for the parties and the judicial
system. Plaintiffs are unaware of any difficulties that are likely to be encountered in the
41. Plaintiffs bring this action on behalf of himself and on behalf of others similarly
situated current employees and former employees pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 382
and as Class Claims. The Class of employees that Plaintiffs seek to represent includes all
b. Who did not receive the correctly calculated rest breaks and/or
e. Who were not timely paid all wages owed upon involuntary
For the reasons alleged in this Complaint, this action should be certified as a
Class Action.
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43. Pursuant to Labor Code §§ 1182.12, 1194, 1194.2, and 1197, it is unlawful for a
California employer to suffer or permit an employee to work without paying wages for all hours
worked, as required by the applicable Industrial Welfare Commission (“IWC”) Wage Order.
44. Wage Order No. 4-2001 § 9(B) requires that “when tools or equipment are
required by the employer or are necessary to the performance of a job, such tools and equipment
shall be provided and maintained by the employer, except that an employee whose wages are at
least two (2) times the minimum wage provided herein may be required to provide and maintain
double the minimum wages for all hours suffered or permitted to work in violation of the
minimum wage provisions of California Labor Code §§ §§ 1182.12, 1194, 1194.2, and 1197 and
46. Defendants explicitly required Mechanical Engineers to personally pay for tools
and equipment for job performance. Defendants have intentionally failed and refused, and
continue to fail and refuse, to pay Class Members, including Plaintiff TORRES, double the
47. Therefore, at all times relevant, Defendants operated under and continue to
operate under a common policy and plan of willfully, regularly, and repeatedly failing and
refusing to pay double the minimum compensation at the rates required by the California Law.
48. Labor Code § 1194.2, subdivision (a) provides that, in an action to recover wages
because of the payment of a wage less than the double the minimum wage fixed by IWC Wage
Orders, an employee is entitled to recover liquidated damages in an amount equal to the wages
49. Class Members, including Plaintiffs, should have received double the minimum
wages in a sum according to proof during all times relevant to this action.
50. Defendant DISNEY has knowingly and intentionally failed to comply with these
provisions on each and every wage statement that should have been provided to Plaintiff and
51. Plaintiff TORRES on behalf of himself and the Class request the recovery of the
unpaid break premiums, waiting time penalties, liquidated damages. interest, attorneys’ fees,
Labor Code §§ 226.7; IWC Wage Order No. 4 and 5; Cal. Code Regs., Title 8 § 11050)
53. By their failure to provide rest periods for every four hours or major fraction
thereof worked per day to non-exempt employees and failing to provide compensation for such
unprovided rest periods, as alleged above, Defendants willfully violated the provisions of Labor
Code section 226.7 and IWC Wage Order Nos. 5-1998, 5-2000, and 5-2001. Plaintiff and the
Class Members he seeks to represent did not willfully waive through mutual consent with
54. As a result of the unlawful acts of DISNEY, Plaintiff and the Class he seeks to
represent have been deprived of premium wages in amounts to be determined at trial, and are
entitled to recovery of such amounts, plus interest and penalties thereon, attorneys' fees, and
costs, under Labor Code sections 226, 226.7, and IWC Wage Orders.
55. Sections 226 subdivision (a), and 1174 of the California Labor Code and IWC
Wage Order No. 5 require Defendants to itemize in wage statements and to accurately report
total hours worked by Plaintiff and the members of the proposed Class.
56. At all time relevant herein, IWC Wage Order No. 4 § 9 requires that “When tools
or equipment are required by the employer or are necessary to the performance of a job, such
tools and equipment shall be provided and maintained by the employer, except that an employee
whose wages are at least two (2) times the minimum wage provided herein may be required to
provide and maintain hand tools and equipment customarily required by the trade or craft.”
double the minimum wages in a sum according to proof during all times relevant to this action.
paying Mechanical Engineers below double the minimum wage, and denying appropriate rates
for on-duty break premiums on every wage statement owed to the Plaintiff and members of the
proposed Class.
59. Plaintiff TORRES on behalf of himself and the Class request the recovery of the
unpaid break premiums, waiting time penalties, liquidated damages. interest, attorneys’ fees,
61. California Labor Code § 510 provides that employees in California shall not be
employed more than eight hours in any workday or 40 hours in a workweek unless they receive
62. California Labor Code §§ 1194 and 1198 provide that employees in California
shall not be employed more than eight hours in any workday unless they receive additional
compensation beyond their regular wages in amounts specified by law. Additionally, California
Labor Code § 1198 states that the employment of an employee for longer hours than those fixed
by the Industrial Welfare Commission is unlawful. The governing Wage Order of the Industrial
63. Still, DISNEY fails to compensate Plaintiff for all overtime hours worked in
excess of eight hours per day and/or 40 hours per week as required by the Labor Code §§ 510
and 1194. Specifically, Plaintiffs were either not paid for hours worked in excess of 8 hours in a
day, or Plaintiff and Class members were not paid the overtime rate for applicable overtime
hours worked.
64. At all times relevant, DISNEY has also operated under and continues to operate
under a common policy and plan of willfully, regularly, and repeatedly failing and refusing to
65. Plaintiff and the Class Members are informed and believe and based thereon
allege that during all times relevant to the Class Period, DISNEY failed to comply with Labor
Code § 510 and 1198 by virtue of DISNEY’s unlawful failure to pay additional, premium rate of
compensation to Plaintiff for his overtime hours worked, Plaintiff and Class members suffered
himself and the Class request the recovery of the unpaid break premiums, waiting time
penalties, liquidated damages. interest, attorneys’ fees, and costs in an amount to be determined
at trial.
68. Plaintiffs allege that Labor Code § 226 subdivision (a) requires, in pertinent part,
that “Every employer shall, semimonthly or at the time of each payment of wages, furnish each
of his or her employees, either as a detachable part of the check, draft, or voucher paying the
employee's wages, or separately when wages are paid by personal check or cash, an accurate
itemized statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked by the
employee, except for any employee whose compensation is solely based on a salary and who is
exempt from payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of § 515 or any applicable order of the
Industrial Welfare Commission, (3) the number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable
piece rate if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis, (4) all deductions, provided that all
deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item,
(5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid, (7)
the name of the employee and his or her social security number, except that by January 1, 2008,
only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification
number other than a social security number may be shown on the itemized statement, (8) the
name and address of the legal entity that is the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates in
effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate
69. Upon information and belief, during all times relevant to this action,
Maintenance Engineers, including Plaintiff, never received any wage statement with all required
information set forth under Labor Code § 226 from Defendants, and Plaintiffs suffered damages
proven at trial, Defendants violated various provisions of § 226, including but not limited to
subdivisions (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(4), (a)(5), (a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(8), and (a)(9) by failing to provide
Plaintiffs accurate itemized statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours
worked by the employee, (4) all deductions, (5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the
period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name of the employee, (8) the name and address
of the legal entity that is the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay
period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the employee.
71. For DISNEY’s misconduct as alleged in this Complaint, Plaintiffs seek damages,
penalties, costs and attorneys’ fees pursuant to Labor Code § 226 subdivision (e) in an amount
to be proven at trial.
himself and the Class request Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief and attorneys’ fees and costs
California Labor Code §§ 201, 202, 203, 204, 218.5, and 218.6)
74. Pursuant to Labor Code § 201, “If an employer discharges an employee, the
wages earned and unpaid at the time of discharge are due and payable immediately.”
a definite period quits his or her employment, his or her wages shall become due and payable
not later than 72 hours thereafter, unless the employee has given 72 hours previous notice of his
or her intention to quit, in which case the employee is entitled to his or her wages at the time of
quitting.”
76. Labor Code § 203 provides, in pertinent part: “If an employer willfully fails to
pay, without abatement or reduction, ... any wages of an employee who is discharged or who
quits, the wages of the employee shall continue as a penalty from the due date thereof at the
same rate until paid or until an action therefore is commenced; but the wages shall not continue
77. Pursuant to Labor Code § 204, “all wages … earned by any person in any
employment are due and payable twice during each calendar month, on days designated in
78. Pursuant to Labor Code §§ 218.5 and 218.6, an action may be brought for the
79. Plaintiffs and Class Members were not properly paid pursuant to the
requirements of Labor Code §§ 201, 202, and 204 and thereby seek the unpaid wages. To date,
for example, DISNEY has not paid Plaintiffs all earned wages.
80. Plaintiffs and Class Members are informed and believe and based thereon allege
that Defendants willfully failed to pay Plaintiffs’ wages pursuant to the requirements of Labor
Code §§ 201, 202, and 204, after Plaintiffs’ demand, and therefore Plaintiffs are entitled the
associated unpaid wages and waiting time penalties. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and
based thereon allege that Defendants did this with the intent to secure for himself a discount on
Plaintiffs.
81. Plaintiff and Class Members have been deprived of their rightfully earned wages
as a direct and proximate result of DISNEY’s failure and refusal to pay legally sufficient
82. As a result of the unlawful acts of DISNEY, Plaintiff TORRES and the Class
Members request the unpaid wages, waiting time penalties, interest, attorneys’ fees, costs,
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84. Defendants, and each of them, are “persons” as defined under Business and
committed the unfair business practices, as defined by Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200, et seq.,
by violating the laws alleged to have been violated in this Complaint and which allegations are
incorporated herein by reference and include, but are not limited to:
Prof. Code § 17200, et seq., because the acts were intentionally performed to harm Plaintiffs.
87. Plaintiffs are informed and believe, and based thereon allege, that the unlawful,
unfair and fraudulent business practices described above present a continuing threat to members
of the public because it is believed that DISNEY continue to operate in the illegal manner as
alleged above.
88. Further, such skirting of the California labor laws presents a threat to the general
public in that the enforcement of the labor laws is essential to ensure that all California
employers compete equally, and that no California employer receives an unfair competitive
similarly aggrieved employees, have been deprived of lawful wages to which he/she or they
were entitled and Plaintiffs and these similarly aggrieved employees have suffered damages, in
90. The unfair, fraudulent, and unlawful business practices of DISNEY are likely to
continue because DISNEY appear to have a pattern and practice of committing the same type of
91. As a direct and proximate result of the above-alleged misconduct, Plaintiffs are
entitled to and hereby seeks injunctive relief and restitution for, among other things, back pay,
and other lost benefits in an amount to be proven at trial for the last four years from the date this
92. As a direct and proximate result of the aforesaid acts and conduct of DISNEY,
Plaintiffs are entitled to and hereby seeks attorneys’ fees as permitted by law and as provided for
(Individual and Representative Claim Under the Private Attorney General Act,
93. Plaintiffs incorporate all paragraphs above as though fully set forth herein.
94. California Labor Code §§ 2698, et seq. (“PAGA”) permits Plaintiffs to recover
95. At all times herein set forth, PAGA was applicable to Plaintiffs' employment by
Defendants.
California Labor Code that provides for a civil penalty to be assessed and collected by the
LWDA for violations of the California Labor Code may, as an alternative, be recovered through
a civil action brought by an aggrieved employee on behalf of himself and other current or
97. Pursuant to PAGA, a civil action under PAGA may be brought by an “aggrieved
employee,” who is any person that was employed by the alleged violator and against whom one
98. Plaintiffs were jointly employed by Defendants and the alleged violations were
committed against them during their time of employment and they are, therefore, an Aggrieved
Employee. Plaintiffs and other employees are Aggrieved Employees as defined by California
Labor Code section 2699(c) in that they are all current or former employees of Defendants who
are or were employed as non-exempt employees, and one or more of the alleged violations were
99. Pursuant to California Labor Code sections 2699.3 and 2699.5, an aggrieved
employee, including Plaintiffs, may pursue a civil action arising under PAGA after the following
requirements have been met: The aggrieved employees shall give written notice by certified
mail (hereinafter “Employee’s Notice”) to the LWDA and the employer of the specific
provisions of the California Labor Code alleged to have been violated, including the facts and
theories to support the alleged violations. The LWDA shall provide notice (hereinafter “LWDA
Notice”) to the employer and the aggrieved employee by certified mail that it does not intend to
investigate the alleged violation within thirty (30) calendar days of the postmark date of the
Employee’s Notice. Upon receipt of the LWDA Notice, or if the LWDA Notice is not provided
within thirty-three (33) calendar days of the postmark date of the Employee’s Notice, the
2699 to recover civil penalties in addition to any other penalties to which the employee may be
entitled.
100. On or about January 12, 2024, Plaintiff provided written notice to the LWDA via
its online claim submission portal and notified Defendants of the specific provisions of the
California Labor Code alleged to have been violated, including the facts and theories to support
101. Plaintiffs will have satisfied the administrative prerequisites under California
Labor Code section 2699.3(a) to recover civil penalties against Defendants, in addition to other
remedies, for violations of California Labor Code sections 201, 202, 203, 204, 226(a), 510,
102. Pursuant to California Labor Code §§ 2699(a), 2699.3 and 2699.5, Plaintiffs and
all other Aggrieved Employees are entitled to recover civil penalties against Defendants, in
addition to other remedies, for violations of California Labor Code sections 201, 202, 203, 204,
103. As a result of the unlawful acts of Defendants, Plaintiff TORRES and the Class
Members are entitled to seek and recover reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to
PRAYER
2. For interest provided by law including, but not limited to, Civil Code § 3291;
3. For general unpaid wages at overtime wage rates and such general and special
6. For restitution of unpaid wages to Plaintiff and prejudgment interest from the day
7. For reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of suit incurred herein pursuant to
§ 17200, et seq.;
10. For costs incurred by Plaintiff, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of
suit, in obtaining the benefits due to Plaintiffs and for violations of Plaintiffs’ civil rights as set
forth above; and pursuant to the Labor Code §§ 218.5, 218.6, 226(e), 1194(a), 2699; and
11. For such other and further relief as the court deems just and proper.
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By:
Ronald L. Zambrano
Ashley J. Garay
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
By:
Ronald L. Zambrano
Ashley J. Garay
Attorneys for Plaintiffs