Can my employer make me stay on call during rest breaks?

No. California requires that you be relieved of all duty during rest breaks, which means you cannot be required to carry a radio and respond, stay on call or keep working. If a break is interrupted or controlled, your employer owes an extra hour of pay for that day.

Rialto Employment Attorney for Employees

Q: Can my warehouse stop me from speaking Spanish at work?

Generally no. Under California law, an employer can restrict the use of a language only when a real business necessity requires it, the rule is no broader than needed, and employees are told when it applies and the consequences. A blanket English-only rule, including during breaks, is usually unlawful national origin discrimination.

Q: Can I bring a claim that also covers my coworkers?

Often, yes. Under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), an employee affected by Labor Code violations can seek civil penalties for violations affecting other employees as well, after first giving written notice to the state. Some wage claims can also proceed as class actions, depending on any arbitration agreement you signed.

Q: Can I be fired for talking with coworkers about pay?

No. California law protects your right to discuss or disclose your own wages, and both state and federal law protect employees who act together to raise concerns about pay, quotas or working conditions, whether or not a union is involved.

Q: Do seasonal or temporary workers have the same rights?

Yes. Seasonal and temporary employees are owed minimum wage, overtime, meal and rest breaks, accurate pay stubs and protection from discrimination and harassment. They also begin earning paid sick leave from their first day, and can generally start using it after 90 days of employment.

Rialto has become one of the Inland Empire's busiest fulfillment and distribution centers, with large warehouses along the I-210 and the Renaissance area employing thousands of pickers, packers, loaders and drivers. Schools, retailers and service businesses round out a workforce drawn from Rialto, Bloomington, Colton and neighboring Fontana. California's wage and hour laws, warehouse protections and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) cover all of them.

Milan Chatterjee, licensed in California and Nevada and former in-house counsel at Las Vegas Sands Corp., represents Rialto employees in unpaid wage, retaliation, wrongful termination and discrimination claims, with consultations in English or Spanish.

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Employment claims we handle for Henderson workers

Unpaid wages and overtime - security screening time, interrupted breaks, pay stub errors and overtime.
Retaliation and whistleblowing - punishment for raising pay, quota or safety concerns, alone or with coworkers.
Wrongful termination - firings after an injury, a complaint, protected leave or a refusal to break the law.
Workplace discrimination - including national origin and language rules on the job.
Race discrimination - unequal discipline, assignments, promotions or termination.
Disability discrimination - denied accommodations or light duty after an injury.

Rialto, California, where Best Employment Attorney represents employees

Rialto, San Bernardino County

Why Rialto workers face employment disputes

Large fulfillment centers depend on speed. Rate tracking, long walks to break rooms, bag checks and security screening at the end of a shift, and pressure to stay reachable during breaks can all eat into time that California law requires employers to pay for or protect. Small amounts each shift add up to significant unpaid wages over months.

Seasonal hiring brings temporary workers who are often unsure of their rights, and pay stubs that are hard to read or missing required details. Workers who talk with coworkers about pay, quotas or conditions, or who raise concerns together, are sometimes singled out, even though that activity is protected.

Rialto's workforce is diverse and largely bilingual. Language rules, uneven discipline and injuries that lead to light duty requests are frequent sources of discrimination and accommodation claims, all governed by California law and federal law.

Your rights under California employment law

The protections that come up most often for Rialto employees in fulfillment, distribution and service jobs:

Labor Code 226: every pay stub must show hours worked, pay rates, deductions and other required details.
Security screening time: the California Supreme Court has held that time spent in required bag and security checks is paid work time.
Labor Code 2100 to 2112: large warehouse employers must disclose quotas in writing and cannot set quotas that prevent breaks.
Gov. Code 12951: English-only rules are unlawful unless justified by business necessity and properly explained to employees.
Labor Code 232 and 923: you can discuss your wages and act together with coworkers to improve conditions.
Labor Code 2698 (PAGA): employees can pursue penalties for Labor Code violations that affect them and their coworkers.

Our California employment law guide covers each of these in full.

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Common Questions

Rialto Employees Frequently Asked Questions

Rialto employees protected by California employment law

Should I be paid for time in bag checks or security screening?

Yes. In California, time you spend waiting for and going through a required bag check or security screening is time under your employer's control, and the California Supreme Court has held it must be paid. Unpaid screening time can also push your hours into overtime.

Can my warehouse stop me from speaking Spanish at work?

Can I bring a claim that also covers my coworkers?

Your Rialto Employment Attorney

Milan Chatterjee is an employment attorney licensed in California and Nevada and a graduate of UCLA School of Law. As former in-house counsel at Las Vegas Sands Corp., a Fortune 500 employer, he saw how large companies track time, set pay practices and respond when workers raise concerns. He now uses that insight for Rialto employees from the firm's Ontario office.