Unpaid Wage Cases in Costa Mesa, California
Since 2005 the U.S. Department of Labor has found $1.3M in back wages owed to 1,279 workers by Costa Mesa employers, in 39 cases. Unpaid overtime accounts for 89% of it. The industry with the most back wages is lumber, plywood, millwork, and wood panel merchant wholesalers.
What workers weren't paid
1 case involved child labor violations, covering 1 minors.
Industries
Cases with back wages by year
Largest back-wage cases
Ganahl Lumber Co. 1275 S. Bristol St.
$208K in back wages to 505 workers
Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers · period investigated May 2002–May 2004
Care Partners At Home 150 Paularino Ave Suite D-182
$125K in back wages to 98 workers · $18,031 in penalties
Other Residential Care Facilities · period investigated Apr 2019–Apr 2022 · repeat violator: W
Sure Shine Services 3199-B Re Hill Ave
$113K in back wages to 50 workers
Janitorial Services · period investigated Oct 2013–Sep 2015
Lighting Technology Services Inc. (LTS) 3520 Cadillac Ave
$101K in back wages to 70 workers
All Other Specialty Trade Contractors · period investigated Oct 2000–Oct 2002
El Toro Bravo 745 W. 19th
$81,396 in back wages to 14 workers · $4,312 in penalties
Special Food Services · period investigated Dec 2012–Dec 2015 · repeat violator: W
Saunders Construction 1760 Monrovia Avenue #A-1
$74,247 in back wages to 50 workers
Engineering Services · period investigated Sep 2008–Sep 2010
Meyers Group 555 Anton
$59,219 in back wages to 44 workers
Other Activities Related to Real Estate · period investigated Mar 2002–Feb 2004
Bayside Cottages 1019 Cheyenne Street
$53,055 in back wages to 6 workers · $4,224 in penalties
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly · period investigated Jan 2024–Feb 2025 · repeat violator: W
Star Pro Security Patrol, Inc. 3303 Harbor Blvd Ste B3
$43,567 in back wages to 63 workers
Security Guards and Patrol Services · period investigated Mar 2018–Feb 2019
South Pacific Car Wash 2750 Bristol Street
$39,183 in back wages to 56 workers
Car Washes · period investigated Jul 2005–Jul 2007
Most recent cases
Hadley Tow period ending Aug 2025
$2,515 in penalties · Motor Vehicle Towing
Elixir Tea Bar period ending Apr 2025
$7,430 in back wages to 14 workers · $1,381 in penalties · Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
Bayside Cottages period ending Feb 2025
$53,055 in back wages to 6 workers · $4,224 in penalties · Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly
ABC Builders, LLC period ending Oct 2023
$7,041 in back wages to 3 workers · $1,995 in penalties · New Multifamily Housing Construction (except Operative Builders)
Cozy Inn period ending Aug 2023
$10,011 in back wages to 3 workers · $1,995 in penalties · Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels
Angela's Residential Care period ending May 2023
$17,424 in back wages to 4 workers · $2,744 in penalties · Home Health Care Services
1 Top Nails period ending Mar 2023
$14,802 in back wages to 6 workers · Nail Salons
Care Partners At Home period ending Apr 2022
$125K in back wages to 98 workers · $18,031 in penalties · Other Residential Care Facilities
Sunterra period ending Mar 2022
$7,395 in penalties · Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers
MKB Home Design period ending Nov 2021
8 violations, no back wages · Residential Remodelers
Pacific Auto Center period ending May 2020
$2,000 in back wages to 1 worker · Used Car Dealers
El Toro Bravo Meat Market period ending Feb 2019
1 violation, no back wages · Meat Markets
Star Pro Security Patrol, Inc. period ending Feb 2019
$43,567 in back wages to 63 workers · Security Guards and Patrol Services
El Toro Bravo Tortilleria period ending Feb 2019
$23,563 in back wages to 3 workers · Tortilla Manufacturing
El Toro Bravo period ending Jan 2019
$37,812 in back wages to 22 workers · Full-Service Restaurants
California Southern University period ending May 2018
$33,148 in back wages to 57 workers · Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
Verde Kitchen period ending Apr 2018
1 violation, no back wages · Limited-Service Restaurants
Keegan's Concrete Inc. period ending Dec 2017
$24,963 in back wages to 37 workers · Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors
TBSdelivers period ending Jun 2017
2 violations, no back wages · Local Messengers and Local Delivery
Product Solutions period ending Oct 2016
$35,830 in back wages to 4 workers · $1,150 in penalties · 2 child labor violations · All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
If you weren't paid what you're owed
Federal law requires at least the minimum wage and time-and-a-half for hours over 40 a week for most hourly workers, and many states set higher minimums. You can file a free, confidential complaint with the Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department, and you can also sue to recover unpaid wages, often with an equal amount in damages and your attorney fees. Deadlines are generally two to three years under federal law.
Owed wages by a Costa Mesa employer?
Compare employment lawyers in Costa MesaOther California cities
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$51.1M · 39,160 workers - San Francisco
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$9.3M · 7,336 workers - Sacramento
$8.8M · 4,726 workers - Oakland
$6.6M · 5,572 workers - Santa Maria
$6.1M · 6,218 workers
Source: the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division enforcement data (every concluded compliance action since fiscal year 2005), from the DOL Open Data Portal, loaded November 9, 2026. “Back wages” is the amount employers agreed to pay workers after an investigation found they were underpaid; dates are the end of the period the investigation covered. Employer names and addresses are as DOL publishes them. Federal cases only: state labor departments and private lawsuits recover more that isn't counted here.
Lawbamba is not affiliated with the Department of Labor, and this page is general information, not legal advice.