California contractors are facing a compliance curveball that’s costing companies hundreds of thousands—sometimes millions—of dollars. It’s called PAGA (Private Attorneys General Act), and if you haven’t heard of it yet, it’s time to pay attention.
PAGA lawsuits have become a booming business in California. Think of them as class-action lawsuits without the “class.” All it takes is one disgruntled employee—even someone who worked a single shift—to file a claim on behalf of every worker in a similar role, whether those employees agree to it or not.
As one contractor put it:
“This guy literally worked here one minute, called the number on a billboard, and next thing you know, I’m looking at a lawsuit.”
What is PAGA, and Why Should You Care?
PAGA allows employees to file lawsuits for Labor Code violations on behalf of the state—and the penalties can be brutal. Worse, 65% of the money from these lawsuits goes to the State of California, which has collected over $321 million from PAGA cases in the last three fiscal years. The employee might get pennies. The lawyers and the state take the lion’s share.
Common violations that trigger PAGA claims:
- Missed meal or rest breaks (or lack of documentation of these)
- Inaccurate or missing time records
- Off-the-clock work
- Late pay or improper wage statements
These don’t have to be intentional—just one missed punch or undocumented break could cost you $250,000 per 100 employees.
How busybusy Helps You Stay Compliant
BusyBusy isn’t just a digital time clock—it’s your frontline defense against the exact kinds of violations that lead to PAGA lawsuits.
Here’s how:
- Break Tracking: Employees clock in and out for meal and rest breaks, creating a digital record that protects your business.
- Minimum break duration: A feature that ensures employees take the whole meal break before clocking back in, helping you avoid costly violations for short or skipped breaks.
- Real-Time Logs: Every punch is recorded instantly, reducing the risk of forgotten clock-outs or off-the-clock work.
- Accountability Features: GPS tracking, photo verification, and job-specific logging make it easy to verify who was where, when—and doing what.
- Audit-Ready Records: All time data is stored securely and exportable, making legal audits (or lawsuits) easier to handle and harder to lose.
One customer summed it up best:
“I wish somebody would’ve told me earlier. I would’ve gladly paid for a system that protected me from this.” — California Contractor
PAGA Lawsuits Aren’t Going Anywhere—But You Can Stay Ahead of Them
PAGA has turned labor law into a business model. But with busybusy, you’re not just tracking time—you’re building a paper trail that can keep your company safe, compliant, and lawsuit-resistant.
If you’re managing crews in California and don’t have airtight documentation for breaks and hours worked, you’re exposed.
Let’s fix that.
👉 Schedule a demo or reach out to see how busybusy can keep your team protected.
