Judge approves $525,000 settlement of Sriracha employment suit

By City News Service

Friday, crews began a series of six directional, 55-hour freeway closures on SR 210 as part of the SR 210 Lane Addition and Base Line Interchange Project. These closures will continue one direction at a time over select weekends. The closures will allow crews to safely perform paving operations on eastbound (EB) and westbound (WB) SR 210 at the on and off-ramp junctures of the San Bernardino Avenue interchange.

The closures will continued to take place during weekends from Friday at 10 p.m. to Monday at 5 a.m., and are expected to be scheduled for the following dates:

• Friday, March 3 through Monday, March 6 (WB)

• Friday, March 10 through Monday, March 13 (WB)

• Friday, March 24 through Monday, March 27 (EB)

• Friday, March 31 through Monday, April 3 (EB)

• Friday, April 14 through Monday, April 17 (EB)

San Bernardino County wants those impacted to remember that construction is dynamic and the schedule is subject to change.

To learn more about the closures and detours:

• Visit http://gosbcta.com/SR210BaseLine

• Sign up for weekly construction alerts

Residents can also bookmark SBCTA’s interactive Google Map for real-time closure and detour information.

Ajudge has approved a $525,000 settlement of a lawsuit brought by former employee of an Irwindale company that produces the well-known Sriracha hot sauce in which the plaintiff alleged she and about 120 other current and former workers were not paid for all hours worked.

Plaintiff Anna Valdez further alleged in her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit against Huy Fong Foods Inc. — brought in November 2020 under the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 — that she was required to work in sweltering conditions without air conditioning.

Judge Christopher K. Lui approved the settlement on Thursday. It includes $183,750 in attorneys’ fees and another $11,685 in litigation cost compensation to lawyers representing Valdez.

Valdez was given a $7,500 “enhancement award” for her services in bringing the action on behalf of herself and her fellow workers.

“I am aware that (Huy Fong Foods) denies the allegations in this lawsuit and that there has been no determination that (the firm) is actually liable for any of these alleged violations,” Valdez said in a sworn declaration in support of the accord. “I have been advised of the terms of the proposed settlement of this case and in light of the risks and uncertainties in proceeding with the case, I believe the proposed settlement is fair and reasonable and in the best interests of the aggrieved employees.”

The suit sought civil penalties under PAGA and the state Labor Code. In their court papers, attorneys for the company said Valdez “primarily worked as a janitor” and should not be allowed to represent other employees with different hours and work conditions.

But in her declaration, Valdez stated she and her co-workers performed manual labor and were paid at or near minimum wage.

“In many work areas, the only climate control solutions were industrial fans that recirculated the hot air,” Valdez added. “Despite these working conditions, we were frequently denied timely meal and rest breaks and completely denied second meal periods and third rest breaks when we worked over 10 hours.”

Valdez left the company in May 2020, the suit stated.

Huy Fong’s Sriracha sauce is a popular chili sauce often called “rooster sauce” due to the rooster on its bottle label.

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