A Pennsylvania law firm has filed nearly identical federal lawsuits against two central San Joaquin Valley food processors, saying they are violating wage-and-hour laws by not paying workers for on-site preparation like donning and doffing required sanitary gear.
Each lawsuit — one against Leprino Foods in Lemoore, the other against Wawona Frozen Foods in Clovis — has a lead plaintiff, but seeks class-action status. Jonathon Talavera, identified as a Lemoore resident, is the sole listed lead plaintiff in the Leprino suit. Luis Aguilar, identified as a Fresno County resident, is the plaintiff in the Wawona suit. Both suits were filed recently in U.S. District Court in Fresno.