Labor Law -- 2017



Mendoza v. Nordstrom, Inc.   (California Supreme Court)

Understanding California's Day-of-Rest law

The NAM filed an amicus brief supporting Nordstrom Inc. in an employment litigation suit to defend reasonable rest periods for manufacturing employees under California labor law. The plaintiff argued that Nordstrom violated California labor laws when the company failed to provide statutorily guaranteed rest days. The issues in this case are 1) whether employees are statutorily required to take a rest on a defined weekly basis, rather than an undefined consecutive period; and 2) whether an employer may permit an employee to independently choose to decline a rest day. This case is important for manufacturers because it implicates employers’ ability to reasonably manage their workforce and allow flexible rest days to accommodate both the needs of the employer and the employee. The NAM’s brief argued that a defined workweek is the proper and most reasonable framework for calculating the required day of rest and the law should be interpreted to encourage employee flexibility and autonomy in scheduling. The court agreed with the NAM’s arguments, which allows manufacturers to continue to provide employees with flexible scheduling options.


Related Documents:
NAM brief  (November 30, 2015)