California Labor Commissioner’s Office Reaches $1 Million Settlement for Warehouse Workers in Inland Empire Wage Theft Case

Employees of La Mina De Oro, KD Distributors, Inc. and Desire Fragrances Inc. Can Contact LCO Regarding Wages Owed to Them

Los Angeles—The Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO) has reached a $1 million settlement against La Mina De Oro Inc. and related businesses for wage theft violations. The settlement will compensate 107 warehouse and retail workers who were not paid for all hours worked, which resulted in making less than minimum wage. Workers were also not paid for daily overtime and did not receive required rest and meal breaks.

“My office is committed to stopping wage theft and collecting owed wages for workers,” said Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower. “Employees who were affected by this case should contact my office, as they may be entitled to owed wages and damages under the settlement agreement.”

LCO is distributing checks to workers who worked at La Mina de Oro, Inc. or related entities KD Distributors, Inc. and Desire Fragrances Inc. between August 1, 2014 and September 30, 2016. These workers should contact the LCO at 833-LCO-INFO (833-526-4636), as they may be entitled to owed wages and damages under this settlement agreement.

LCO’s Bureau of Field Enforcement (BOFE) began an investigation of La Mina de Oro around June 2016 after receiving a referral from the Warehouse Workers Resource Center (WWRC), a non-profit community-based-organization that advocates for workplace compliance in the warehouse industry.

Workers reported they were not paid for all the hours that they worked and their wage statements did not reflect the required information such as all required overtime pay or late meal-periods. They were not paid overtime after eight hours in a day, but only after 40 hours in a week. Workers also reported that they were not allowed to leave and had to be ready to serve customers during their rest breaks and meal breaks.

Citations were issued to La Mina de Oro and related entities on February 24, and a second citation was issued on May 18, 2021

The Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (California Labor Commissioner’s Office) wage theft and unfair competition by investigating allegations of illegal and unfair business practices.

The Labor Commissioner’s Office in 2020 launched an interdisciplinary outreach campaign, “Reaching Every Californian.” The campaign amplifies basic protections and builds pathways to affected populations, so workers and employers understand legal protections and obligations, as well as the Labor Commissioner’s enforcement procedures. Californians can follow the Labor Commissioner on Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact: Communications@dir.ca.gov, (510) 286-1161

Employers with Questions on Requirements May Contact: MakeItFair@dir.ca.gov

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