Rutan has secured the dismissal of a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claim against its client, Weka, Inc., through the Early Evaluation Conference (EEC) process created by the June 2024 PAGA reform.
Attorneys Kenneth Zielinski and Bart Jordan initiated the EEC process on Weka’s behalf in November 2024 in San Bernardino County Superior Court. It was the first EEC held in San Bernardino County. In June 2026, the EEC evaluator issued an order recommending approval of Weka’s cure and dismissal of the plaintiff’s PAGA claim. The PAGA claim was formally dismissed on August 12th.
The EEC process was created through reforms to PAGA enacted by the California Legislature in June 2024. PAGA allows current and former employees to sue employers on behalf of the state for alleged Labor Code violations and retain a percentage of any penalties recovered. The EEC reform gives employers an opportunity to challenge PAGA allegations and cure any violations while staying the remainder of the case during the EEC process.
