In a significant legal move, an employee has filed a lawsuit against her former employer for multiple labor law violations. Kristi Diane Valencia lodged the complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, on February 19, 2026, targeting Document Works, LLC. The case raises serious allegations about workplace practices that could resonate with many employees facing similar issues.
Valencia’s complaint outlines a series of grievances against Document Works, LLC, where she was employed from April 11, 2022, to April 28, 2025. During her tenure at the company’s Sacramento location, Valencia claims she was systematically denied proper meal and rest breaks and was not compensated for all hours worked or reimbursed for work-related expenses. According to the filing, Valencia’s duties included customer service and production work; however, she alleges that her employment was marred by unlawful practices such as being forced to perform unpaid pre-shift work and use her personal vehicle for company errands without compensation or mileage reimbursement.
The plaintiff further accuses assistant manager Perry Hope of taking credit and payment for design work that she performed. Despite confronting Hope about this issue, Valencia asserts that the compensation never appeared on her paychecks. This alleged failure to pay wages due is compounded by accusations that Document Works did not provide accurate wage statements or pay all overtime owed. The lawsuit also highlights instances where Valencia’s meal breaks were interrupted by work duties or missed entirely due to lack of company policy on rest breaks.
Valencia is seeking several forms of relief from the court. She demands damages and penalties under various sections of the California Labor Code for missed meal and rest periods, unpaid wages including overtime and minimum wage violations, reimbursement for business expenses incurred using her personal vehicle, inaccurate wage statements penalties, waiting time penalties due to delayed final paycheck issuance after termination of employment, and restitution under unfair competition laws. Additionally, she seeks interest on unpaid amounts along with attorney fees and court costs.
Representing Kristi Diane Valencia are attorneys Manny Starr (319778), Nicole Clancy (305341), and Daniel Ginzburg (327338) from Frontier Law Center located in Woodland Hills, CA. The case is presided over by judges at the Superior Court of California in Sacramento County under Case No. Retr OOso oa.
Source: 26CV003891_Kristi_Diane_v_Document_Works_Complaint_County_of_Sacramento_California.pdf
