Bruno W. Katz (Partner-San Diego, CA) defended the owner of two coffee shops in San Diego, California, in a wage-and-hour dispute. The claimant made a complaint to the Department of Industrial Relations of the California Labor Commissioner's Office as to missed rest periods, late payroll, waiting time penalties for failure to timely pay all wages due at the end of employment, and liquated damages and interest for these alleged willful pay violations. Our client denied these claims and a hearing was held before a Hearing Officer of the Labor Commissioner's Office. After testimony and evidence was taken, the Department of Industrial Relations issued its decision finding no violations and entered an order that the employee take nothing by virtue of her complaint, a finding of zero liability and $0 damages on all of the employee's claims. Per the Labor Code, the employee had the right to file a de novo appeal of this decision. The time to file the appeal has run and no appeal was filed. As a result, by operation of law and statute, a final judgment in favor of the client and against the employee was entered.