Garcia v. Border Transp. Grp., LLC

239 Cal. Rptr. 3d 360, 28 Cal. App. 5th 558
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedOctober 22, 2018
DocketD072521
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 239 Cal. Rptr. 3d 360 (Garcia v. Border Transp. Grp., LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Garcia v. Border Transp. Grp., LLC, 239 Cal. Rptr. 3d 360, 28 Cal. App. 5th 558 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

DATO, J.

*561Plaintiff Jesus Cuitlahuac Garcia filed a wage and hour lawsuit against Border Transportation Group, LLC (BTG), its owner Erik Ortega, and BTG employee Martha Ortega. Some of Garcia's claims are based on Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) wage orders;1 others are not. The trial court granted defendants' motion for summary judgment on all eight causes of action on the basis that Garcia was an independent contractor, not an employee. After Garcia's appeal was fully briefed, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court (2018) 4 Cal.5th 903, 232 Cal.Rptr.3d 1, 416 P.3d 1 ( Dynamex ), clarifying the employee-independent contractor question as to wage order claims.

As we explain, Dynamex compels the conclusion that defendants did not meet their burden on summary judgment to show no triable issue of material fact as to Garcia's wage order claims. Under part C of the "ABC" test adopted in Dynamex , defendants had to demonstrate that Garcia "is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business" apart from his work for BTG, not that he was merely capable of such *363engagement. ( Dynamex, supra, 4 Cal.5th at p. 963, 232 Cal.Rptr.3d 1, 416 P.3d 1, italics added.) We reach a different result as to the non-wage-order claims, to which Dynamex does not apply. As to those claims discussed in the nonpublished portion of our opinion, Garcia forfeited appellate review of the trial court's decision that he was not an employee under the standard articulated in S.G. Borello & Sons, Inc. v. Department of Industrial Relations (1989) 48 Cal.3d 341, 256 Cal.Rptr. 543, 769 P.2d 399 ( Borello ).

Accordingly, we reverse the judgment and remand with instructions to enter a new order denying summary adjudication of the wage order causes of action and granting summary adjudication as to the non-wage-order causes of action.

*562FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND2

The City of Calexico regulates the local taxicab industry. (Calexico Mun. Code, ch. 5.80.) To operate a taxi service, a person or business must obtain a "certificate of public convenience and necessity" from the city council, which considers public demand for additional taxi service and other factors. (Calexico Mun. Code, ch. 5.80, §§ 5.80.020, 5.80.050.) Each certificate in turn authorizes a certain number of vehicle permits. (Id. , § 5.80.020.)3 City authorities set rates, approve taxi color schemes and markings, and inspect vehicles. (Id. , §§ 5.80.250, 5.80.270, 5.80.320.)

The Municipal Code contemplates different business models for taxicab service. A driver can "operate[ ] any taxicab or vehicle for hire as an employee," or he can "independently contract[ ] with [a vehicle permit] owner to operate the taxicab or vehicle for hire pursuant to a lease, license, or any other form of agreement." (Calexico Mun. Code, ch. 5.80, § 5.80.010.) To operate a taxi, drivers must obtain a driver's permit from the city. (Id. , § 5.80.110.) The driver's permit "may be used by the driver only while employed by a specified taxi company." (Id. , § 5.80.140.) If the driver starts working for a different vehicle permit owner, an updated permit is required. (Id. , § 5.80.160.)

In July 2008, Erik Ortega purchased assets from the bankruptcy estates of his parents, Jose Ortega (Case No. 06-03848-LA11) and Martha Elba Ortega (Case No. 06-03849-LA11). He bought 11 vehicles with a red color scheme labeled Border Cab, and 14 vehicles with a white color scheme labeled Calexico Taxi. From the mid-1980's to 2008, Jose Ortega was the sole proprietor and owner of Border Cab, and Martha Ortega was the sole proprietor and owner of Calexico Taxi. On January 1, 2009, Erik formed BTG as a limited liability corporation and employed Martha.4

*364BTG owned 30 out of 45 total vehicle permits issued by the City of Calexico. It owned 15 permits for vehicles with a white color scheme marked *563"Calexico Taxi," and 15 permits for vehicles with a red color scheme marked "Border Cab." The remaining 15 vehicle permits were owned by a different entity, for vehicles marked "California Cab." Erik had no ownership interest in California Cab.

Garcia worked as a driver for BTG. He bought a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria around December 2008. The vehicle had a white color scheme and was marked "Calexico Taxi." He operated that vehicle as a taxi-for-hire from January 2009 to August 2013. This required him to lease a vehicle permit from BTG for about $520 per week; he also signed up for optional radio dispatch service costing $350 per month. A January 2009 lease and February 2012 revised lease labeled Garcia as an independent contractor and disavowed any employment relationship.

The engine of Garcia's Crown Victoria failed in August 2013. Thereafter, he started leasing a vehicle from BTG for $65 per 12-hour shift, on top of existing vehicle permit and radio dispatch fees. Garcia stopped working for BTG in April 2014, following an incident in which he was required to pay an additional $65 shift charge for returning a leased vehicle an hour late. Thereafter, Garcia claims, he was prevented from renewing his lease; defendants maintain he elected not to renew it.

In 2015, Garcia sued defendants for various wage and hour violations occurring between 2010 and 2014.5 The complaint asserts eight causes of action:

1. Wrongful termination in violation of public policy. ( Lab. Code, §§ 923 [employees may organize], 6310 [retaliation for an OSHA complaint], 6400 [duty to provide a safe work environment], 1102.5 [whistleblower protection].)
2. Unpaid wages under the wage order. ( Cal. Code Regs, tit. 8, § 11090.)
3.

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Bluebook (online)
239 Cal. Rptr. 3d 360, 28 Cal. App. 5th 558, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garcia-v-border-transp-grp-llc-calctapp5d-2018.