San Mateo County sues nursery employers over alleged wage theft affecting nearly 50 workers
San Mateo County, California – Nearly 50 nursery workers on the San Mateo County coast are at the center of a new wage theft lawsuit, and for about two dozen of them, the dispute involves something especially basic: entire paychecks that allegedly never arrived.
The missing wages came at a painful time. According to the County, some employees went unpaid for as many as three full pay periods in November and December 2025, even after working long hours ahead of Black Friday and the holiday season.
The San Mateo County Attorney’s Office filed the civil enforcement action in Superior Court on August 10, 2026. The lawsuit alleges repeated violations of the County of San Mateo Minimum Wage Ordinance and related California labor laws between 2022 and late 2025.
The workers were jointly employed by Cal Coast Orchids, LLC, an ornamental plant producer with facilities near Half Moon Bay and Los Osos, and Mixtiles USA, which does business as EasyPlant, a multinational plant retailer.
For workers living in the close-knit Coastside community, the alleged wage losses extended well beyond the workplace. One employee told KALW that workers were left without pay “right when it’s Christmas, [when we] have to pay the rent and buy presents for our kids.”
The County is asking the court to order the defendants to pay back wages, damages and civil penalties.
“We are taking enforcement action because San Mateo County businesses must be accountable for their obligations as employers,” County Attorney John Nibbelin said. “When an employer accepts a worker’s labor, they take on a clear legal duty: pay that employee fully and lawfully.”
The case is also part of San Mateo County’s broader effort to combat wage theft through its Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement.
Chief Equity Officer Shireen Malekafzali Taidi said wage theft can hurt workers while also undermining businesses that follow the law and increasing pressure on public safety-net programs.
Workers and employers can reach the County’s confidential, multilingual Labor Advice Hotline at 1-866-870-7725, email [email protected] or submit an online inquiry.
The case is People of the State of California v. Cal Coast Orchids, LLC, et al., Case No. 26-CIV-06206.
