PAGA Reform in California: From Million-Dollar Mayhem to Meaningful Penalty Reduction

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Who Should Attend

Staffing firm executives and operational leaders responsible for California wage and hour compliance and enterprise risk—including chief executive officers, chief operating officers, chief financial officers, general counsel, compliance leaders, human resource executives, and payroll directors

Highlights

Staffing firms operating in California remain prime targets for wage and hour litigation and face disproportionate exposure to class actions and claims under the Private Attorneys General Act. Traditional risk-mitigation tools, including class and representative action waivers, have proven difficult to enforce and often deliver limited practical protection. Recent PAGA reforms change the risk landscape and create a meaningful opportunity for employers with disciplined compliance systems. Employers that can demonstrate a structured, proactive wage and hour compliance program may reduce PAGA penalties by as much as 85%..

This session briefly frames the current risk landscape and key elements of reform, then shifts to what matters most: how staffing firms can design and operationalize a compliance program that meets the new standard. This program delivers a practical, staffing-specific framework for prioritizing risk, assigning accountability, implementing internal controls, and documenting compliance in ways that withstand scrutiny. Attendees will gain a practical framework for reducing PAGA exposure, through structured governance and documented compliance systems, and will leave with a clear, actionable playbook they can begin implementing immediately to reduce exposure and strengthen penalty mitigation leverage. If you oversee California operations or carry financial, legal, or operational accountability for wage and hour risk, this session is for you..

During this webinar, attendees will learn

• How recent PAGA reforms change staffing firm exposure and create opportunities for penalty reduction
• Ways to identify the core components of a defensible California wage and hour compliance framework tailored to staffing firms
• Steps for developing a practical action plan to implement governance, auditing, monitoring, and documentation processes that reduce litigation risk and strengthen mitigation leverage

Presenters

Joanna Monroe, Esq.

co-managing partner, Staffing GC

Monroe is a senior legal executive and c-suite adviser with more than 25 years of experience in staffing. She is founder of Staffing GC, a law firm dedicated exclusively to staffing companies, where she provides practical, solutions-driven counsel that helps leaders reduce risk, control legal spend, and make informed business decisions. Before launching Staffing GC in 2021, Monroe spent 20 years at TrueBlue Inc. (formerly Labor Ready), a publicly traded workforce solutions company, serving as vice president, deputy general counsel, and chief compliance and risk officer. She played a key role in transforming Labor Ready into TrueBlue, a $3 billion international organization, and led the legal, compliance, enterprise risk, audit, social responsibility, and government relations functions.

Alma Piñan, Esq.

senior legal counsel, Staffing GC

Piñan has deep experience advising employers on labor and employment matters, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, disability accommodation, wage and hour compliance, PAGA, pay transparency, background checks, independent contractor classification, workplace investigations, and paid leave. She previously practiced with national firms Boren, Osher & Luftman LLP and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP, where she counseled and defended employers, including staffing firms, in complex litigation and day-to-day legal challenges. Piñan is recognized for her pragmatic, business-minded approach and strong interpersonal style, helping clients manage legal risk while advancing business goals.

This webinar qualifies for 1.0 hour of CE toward maintaining your ASA credential.