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Choice of Law Questions Continue in California

Transportation companies outside of California face difficult questions about whether California law applies to their California operations. The Ninth Circuit recently held that California’s minimum wage and overtime laws applied to non-California resident baseball players employed by non-California teams playing in an intra-state California league (Senne v. Kansas City Royals Baseball Corp.). The court applied California law because the players worked “entire days or weeks” in California, and California’s choice of law rules favored application of California law. It is unclear whether California courts will extend the Senne court’s reasoning to (1) interstate drivers who only occasionally deliver loads to and from California and (2) other California claims, such as expense reimbursement, wage statement, and misclassification claims.

The Transportation Brief®

A quarterly newsletter of legal news for the clients and friends of Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary

News from Scopelitis is intended as a report to our clients and friends on developments affecting the transportation industry. The published material does not constitute an exhaustive legal study and should not be regarded or relied upon as individual legal advice or opinion.

Choice of Law Questions Continue in California

Transportation companies outside of California face difficult questions about whether California law applies to their California operations. The Ninth Circuit recently held that California’s minimum wage and overtime laws applied to non-California resident baseball players employed by non-California teams playing in an intra-state California league (Senne v. Kansas City Royals Baseball Corp.). The court applied California law because the players worked “entire days or weeks” in California, and California’s choice of law rules favored application of California law. It is unclear whether California courts will extend the Senne court’s reasoning to (1) interstate drivers who only occasionally deliver loads to and from California and (2) other California claims, such as expense reimbursement, wage statement, and misclassification claims.

News from Scopelitis is intended as a report to our clients and friends on developments affecting the transportation industry. The published material does not constitute an exhaustive legal study and should not be regarded or relied upon as individual legal advice or opinion.