EUREKA, Calif. — A former employee of Coast Central Credit Union has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging the California-based credit union failed to pay workers for all hours worked and denied legally required meal and rest breaks.
The complaint, filed in Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt, names Jackson Crockett as plaintiff and seeks to represent non-exempt hourly employees who worked for Coast Central Credit Union in California during the four years preceding the filing.
The lawsuit alleges violations of multiple provisions of the California Labor Code and the state’s Unfair Competition Law. Among the claims are failure to pay minimum and overtime wages, failure to provide compliant meal and rest periods, failure to issue accurate wage statements, failure to reimburse business expenses and failure to timely pay wages upon separation of employment.
‘Favored the Employer’
According to the complaint, Crockett worked for the credit union from July 2024 to August 2025 as a non-exempt hourly employee. The suit alleges the credit union maintained policies that rounded recorded time in a manner that favored the employer and required employees to perform work while off the clock, including during meal periods.
The filing further alleges that Coast Central failed to include non-discretionary incentive pay in employees’ “regular rate of pay” when calculating overtime and meal and rest break premiums, resulting in underpayment. It also claims employees were at times required to work shifts exceeding five hours without uninterrupted 30-minute meal breaks and shifts exceeding four hours without 10-minute rest periods.
Additional Allegations
In addition, the complaint alleges the credit union required employees to use personal cell phones for work-related purposes without reimbursement, in violation of California law.
The proposed “California Class” is defined as non-exempt employees who worked for the credit union in the state during the relevant period, with alleged aggregate damages exceeding $5 million.
The suit also seeks certification of a narrower “California Labor Sub-Class” covering similar claims over a three-year period, likewise alleging damages in excess of $5 million. The complaint seeks unpaid wages, statutory penalties, restitution, interest, attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief. The plaintiff has demanded a jury trial.
‘The Premier Employer’
In a response to Kymkemp.com, which first reported on the filing, Christian Hill, public affairs officer for Coast Central Credit Union, said in an email, “We are aware of the lawsuit that has been filed. As this is active litigation, it is our policy not to comment on the matter. What we can say is that we take great pride in being the premier employer in our market, a distinction we have earned and upheld throughout our 75-year history. Our employees are critical to our success, and we remain deeply committed to supporting them and fostering a respectful, compliant, and positive workplace.”
