Class Action Practice – Peter Law Group

At Peter Law Group, we have extensive experience representing large groups of individual plaintiffs involved in class action lawsuits. Our work primarily focuses on labor and employment matters including wage and hour claims such as:

  • Failure to pay overtime, working through lunch, and forced to work without pay
  • Misclassification of employees as independent contractors
  • Harassment and discrimination in the workplace
  • Failure to accommodate medical conditions

Our team has many years of experience representing employees who have faced harassment or discrimination due to medical disabilities such as complications during pregnancy, work-related injuries, and instances where individuals have been denied reasonable accommodation for their medical conditions.

What is a Class Action?

A class action is a legal procedure that allows a large group of people with the same or similar injuries or grievances to sue an entity as a collective or “class.” Instead of filing individual lawsuits, employees who have experienced the same types of unlawful treatment—such as harassment, discrimination, or unpaid wages —can come together and seek justice as a unified group.

Class actions can be particularly effective in employment matters, where a company’s unlawful practices may have harmed many employees in the same way. By consolidating these claims into one lawsuit, employees can share resources, reduce legal costs, and strengthen their position against large employers.

How Class Actions Benefit Employees

When challenging a powerful company with vast resources, class action lawsuits provide significant benefits for employees including:

  • Cost-Effectiveness: Instead of each employee having to bear the financial burden of bringing their own lawsuit, legal expenses are shared among the group, making it more affordable for individuals to pursue justice.
  • Efficiency: Class actions allow a single court to handle numerous claims at once, saving time and judicial resources.
  • Stronger Negotiating Power: When a large group of employees band together, they create a stronger legal case that can lead to larger settlements or more favorable court decisions.
  • Equal Treatment: All members of the class benefit from any settlement or judgment, ensuring that employees who may not have been able to afford individual lawsuits are still compensated.

Proven Track Record of Success

Peter Law Group has a long history of securing positive outcomes for clients in class action lawsuits including numerous employment discrimination and harassment cases resulting in million-dollar settlements and payments. Recent highlights include:

  • A $5.1 million settlement against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on behalf of female correctional officers. In 2019, nine female correctional officers assigned to prisons throughout California filed a class action lawsuit accusing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) of disability discrimination for denying the women reasonable accommodation for, and during, their pregnancies between June 15, 2015 and May 31, 2020.

    When each of the plaintiffs had requested reasonable accommodation during their pregnancy, they were advised by CDCR that they had three choices:

    1. Stay in their current position, waive any medical restrictions, confirm their ability to perform each and every essential job function, and assume liability for any injury caused by their decision to ignore medical restrictions;
    2. Accept a demotion, resulting in reduced pay, loss of peace officer status, loss of seniority, loss of benefits and loss of right to bid for shifts; or
    3. Take a combination of paid and unpaid leave as an accommodation.

    Although the initial plaintiffs included just nine women, the total number of female CDCR employees impacted by the settlement is anticipated to include more than 1,000 persons.

    Moreover, along with securing justice and financial compensation for the correctional officers, the action taken by Peter Law Group led to a significant change in policy at the CDCR ensuring that all female employees be treated fairly and provided with reasonable accommodation during their pregnancy.

  • In March of 2024, Peter Law Group filed a 32-page class-action complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of a group of Deputy Los Angeles County Probation officers who were discriminated against and denied reasonable medical accommodations when the Probation Department required them to serve in a juvenile detention facility.

    Each of the plaintiffs were required to perform custodial duties as well as physically restricting and retaining belligerent and violent incarcerated individuals (referred to as “Youth Offenders”) who have been charged with seriously violent crimes such as rape, sexual assault, and murder. The plaintiffs were not adequately trained nor provided requisite personal protective equipment such as that typically provided to correctional officers facing the same level, risk, and nature of of physical injury.

    The case stems from severe staff shortages at the Probation Department. A recent decision required the deployment of field officers to 60-day rotations to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall and the Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility. The lawsuit is the first of what may be many similar suits brought in response to changes in Probation Department policy.

A number of our cases have been the focus of intense media coverage.

Our Commitment to Justice

At Peter Law Group, we are committed to fighting for the rights of employees and ensuring they receive fair treatment under the law. If you believe you have been mistreated in your workplace or denied your legal rights, we are here to help.

Contact Peter Law Group to learn how we can assist you in class action lawsuits involving labor and employment violations.