The case against J.V. Car Wash (and its sister locations) took some unusual turns, as the carwash owner, José Vázquez, contrived a series of bizarre claims to undermine the workers’ lawsuit. But the really surprising twist to this unlikely story: the carwasheros, as they call themselves, won. By the time the last checks are dispersed this summer, almost eight years after the suit was filed, the 106 workers who eventually signed on as plaintiffs will have received a share of roughly $8.5 million — a spectacular sum for a wage theft case.
The "Pay in cash" thing is always a dead giveaway. You can bet the owner never paid payroll taxes, or if he did he under reported them. Never mind workers comp.
Meanwhile the minimum wage in CA increased by $1/hr in January and car washes now cost $1 more. It's a nice windfall for the owner - the average employee washes way more than one car per hour.
-------------------------------- Life is short. Play with your dog.
