Labor Commissioner cites 19 car washes in Los Angeles, Orange County for $1.3 million in wage theft violations and civil penalties

NEWS RELEASE

Los Angeles - The California Labor Commissioner's Office (LCO) has issued $1.3 million in fines for wage theft restitution and civil penalties against 19 car washes in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County and in Orange County. The LCO, a division of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), found that the car washes engaged in illegal business practices affecting 960 workers.

What California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said : "Despite the law requiring carwashes to register and post a bond with our office, many remain unregistered and thereby avoid complying with the law sought to protect workers. Employees in the car wash industry are extremely vulnerable to wage theft and other violations from bad actors, which is unacceptable. This case highlights our commitment to ensuring that employers follow the law, pay workers for all wages earned and provide them the protections they deserve."

The bulk of the penalties, $810,920, were centered around two businesses, Redondo Auto Spa LLC, operating under the name Redondo Car Wash located at 617 Torrance Boulevard in Redondo Beach, and Rock N Roll Car Wash LLC, operating under the name Rock N Roll Car Wash located at 1000 Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach.

These two car washes violated multiple state laws, including failing to register with the Labor's Commissioner's office, neglecting to pay the correct minimum wage and denying workers required rest breaks, among other infractions. Investigators also received allegations from workers indicating they suffered retaliation after cooperating in the investigation, including dismissals and reduced work hours. Retaliation investigations are underway.

This week, the Labor Commissioner's Office announced citations for nearly 20 car wash businesses in Southern California for various violations.

Investigations into both Redondo and Rock N Roll car washes began in September 2022, with all other noted investigations starting in the fall of 2024. This case is part of the LCO's California Strategic Enforcement Partnership and was referred by the Community Labor Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), a nonprofit organization that advocates for car wash workers.

Additional businesses cited include:

About the Labor Commissioner's Office:

DIR's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, also known as the Labor Commissioner's Office, combats wage theft and unfair competition by investigating allegations of illegal and unfair business practices.

The LCO 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 X.

Media Contact: [email protected], (510) 286-1161

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