The legal document filed in the Superior Court of California on October 30, 2025, reveals a significant labor dispute involving a former employee and his past employers. Michael Balzano has initiated a representative action under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) against Vintage Design, LLC, Nu Wood Design LLC, Artisan Design Group, LLC, and other unnamed parties. The complaint accuses these companies of numerous violations of California’s labor laws affecting their nonexempt employees.
The lawsuit was filed by Michael Balzano in the Superior Court of California for the County of Sacramento against Vintage Design, LLC, Nu Wood Design LLC, and Artisan Design Group, LLC on October 30, 2025. Balzano claims that these companies failed to adhere to various labor regulations over the past year and beyond. He alleges they did not pay minimum wages or overtime wages due to practices like requiring off-the-clock work and automatically deducting meal periods without verification. Furthermore, he contends that employees were not provided with legally mandated meal periods or rest breaks and were not reimbursed for necessary business expenses incurred during their employment.
Balzano asserts that these practices resulted in employees being deprived of compensation they were rightfully owed. For instance, he highlights that workers often performed tasks before and after shifts without being compensated for this time. Moreover, he accuses the defendants of failing to pay vested vacation upon termination and not providing accurate wage statements as required by law. These allegations are backed by references to specific sections of the California Labor Code which were purportedly violated.
In seeking justice from the court, Balzano is pursuing civil penalties under PAGA on behalf of himself and other aggrieved employees who suffered similar violations. He aims to recover all applicable remedies including attorneys’ fees and costs associated with bringing this lawsuit forward. By acting as a proxy for the State of California in this matter—since PAGA allows private individuals to enforce labor laws—the plaintiff underscores his commitment to addressing systemic issues within these organizations.
Representing Balzano are attorneys Brian J. Mankin, Peter J. Carlson, and Luke Wagner from Lauby Mankin & Lauby LLP based in Riverside County. The case is overseen by Judge S. Decker under Case No.: 2 Siw OSB OAS.
Source: 25CV026043_Michael_Balzano_v_Vintage_Design_County_of_Sacramento_California.pdf
