Beverly Hills “American Tax Relief LLC” Shut Down for Fraud

A Beverly Hills, California business promising “tax relief” was finally shut down by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last week. Authorities say American Tax Relief LLC cheated consumers out of more than $60 million by promising clients that their tax bills could be settled for pennies on the dollar. Despite a criminal search warrant executed…

LA Times Investigation Finds PG&E Gas pipeline Safety Record Questionable

A Los Angeles Times investigation has found that PG&E has more “high consequence” gas line leaks in populated areas compared to other utilities. The report was in response to the San Bruno, California gas pipeline explosion in September that killed 8 people and caused an estimated $65 million in property losses. (The eighth death occurred…

Apple, Google, Intel and Others Admit Secret Pact That Potentially Harmed Employees

Six Silicon Valley corporate giants, Apple, Google, Intel, Intuit, Pixar and Adobe Systems admit they had a secret agreement not to hire employees away from the other companies using “cold call” tactics. In violation of federal anti-trust law, the companies agreed to the “no cold call” pact in 1996. According to documents from the U.S.…

Employees Winning More Judgments against Employers over Wage Issues During Recession

The current recession has apparently caused numerous employers to cut corners and squeeze wage earners – sometimes illegally. Much to the chagrin of businesses, employees are fighting back and winning big judgments for unpaid wages. Wage and hour lawsuits are on the rise and it is costing employers millions of dollars in California and across…

UC Davis Olive Center Study Found Imported Olive Oil’s Label Claims of “Extra Virgin” Misleading

A recent study published by the UC Davis Olive Center discovered that 69% of imported olive oils tested were not “extra virgin” as their labels claimed.  Before this study, despite widespread rumors and media reports, there was no concrete evidence that extra virgin olive oil was being adulterated. The study offers the first accurate, scientific…

US Department of Agriculture Adopts Scientifically Verifiable Standards for Olive Oil Labels

The sheer variety of olive oils on any given supermarket shelf can be overwhelming to the average shopper. Olive oils come in all shapes, sizes colors, and prices – and what do all those terms on the labels mean? Terms like “extra virgin,” “cold pressed,” and “unfiltered” are featured prominently on most olive oil labels…

Pizza Delivery Drivers File Class Action Employment Lawsuit against Domino’s

A group of Domino’s Pizza delivery drivers was granted class-action status for a federal lawsuit filed in Minnesota. The drivers allege that Domino’s does not reimburse them for travel expenses, which in turns undercuts the drivers’ ability to earn minimum wage, as required by law. Lawyers for the Minnesota plaintiffs argue that Domino’s policy means…

Greyhound Bus Crash in Fresno, California Leaves Six Los Angeles Bound Passengers Dead

Witnesses are saying it’s amazing that more people weren’t injured or killed in a Greyhound bus accident that occurred just outside of Downtown Fresno, California. As of this writing, six people were dead and another nine were seriously injured. The bus was carrying 35 passengers from Sacramento to Los Angeles along Route 99 when it…

California Environmentalists Bring Suit against Fish Oil Manufacturers for Violations of California Product Labeling Law

Two private California environmentalists and the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation have joined forces to bring a lawsuit against manufacturers of several popular brands of fish oil. The Plaintiffs argue that the fish oil manufacturers are in violation of California’s Proposition 65, which requires that consumers be warned about chemical exposures. The lawsuit, which was filed…

California, Arizona, and Nevada Construction Workers Win $241,000 in Wage Lawsuit

Eighty-five construction workers employed by SelectBuild (a subsidiary of BMHC Corporation) in California, Arizona and Nevada filed suit against their employer recently. The workers claimed that their employer cheated them out of pay for hours they had worked by refusing to pay overtime and by not paying for hours worked while employees were either travelling…