After weeks of resistance, Democrats finally agreed to weaken what the GOP has dubbed the "sue your boss law." That law allows workers to file multimillion-dollar lawsuits against their employers for a variety of offensives — some of them as small as using the wrong size type on posters that inform employees of their rights.The compromise would allow employees to sue for major violations, but only if the Labor and Workforce Development Agency refuses to act. And Democrats agreed to prohibit any suits for such minor violations as failure to post labor rules.
The deal hasn't been voted on yet, and may face opposition by fiscal conservatives and some liberals, with the center suppporting it, but chances are this deal goes through. The law's original author agreed with the changes.
This change will bring Labor Code enforcement suits more in line with other kinds of employment related disputes by apparently requiring administrative review first. I haven't seen the text of the proposed amendments yet.Sen. Joe Dunn, D-Garden Grove (Orange County), said he was always open to changing the law to prevent frivolous lawsuits. "This law was never about lining the pockets of trial lawyers, it was about enforcing the labor code," said Dunn, who wrote the original law.
More to come...
