Western Growers, along with numerous allied organizations, strongly oppose SB 310 (Wiener), citing its potential to undermine the critical 2024 Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) reforms enacted in 2024.

These bipartisan reforms—SB 92 (Umberg) and AB 2288 (Kalra)—aimed to curb abuses in PAGA by reducing penalties for employers acting in good faith, expanding the right to cure violations and introducing new processes through the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) for early case resolution.

SB 310 would create new private right of action for penalties under the Labor Code Section 2010, which applies to most wage and hour claims. These penalties would bypass the reforms’ protections, such as penalty caps and cure provisions, and treat compliant employers the same as bad actors. Section 210 penalties are currently handled by the Labor Commission or PAGA, which are subject to the reforms’ guardrails. By creating a separate private right of action, SB 310 risks encouraging frivolous lawsuits and litigation abuse.

Now is the time to speak up. Western Growers strongly encourages members to contact their state senator and voice strong opposition to SB 310. Let them know this bill would harm responsible employers and undermine recent PAGA reforms.

Read more about SB 310 here.