PAGA 2026: What California Restaurant Operators Need to Do Now

California's PAGA landscape has changed. Has your compliance strategy?

In 2025 alone, more than 10,000 PAGA notices were filed across California. For multi-unit restaurant operators, a single recurring payroll, scheduling, or meal break issue can quickly multiply into hundreds of violations across multiple locations.

The good news? Recent PAGA reforms have changed how penalties are assessed.

Today, courts increasingly evaluate whether employers can demonstrate documented compliance efforts, ongoing audits, and corrective action—not simply whether a violation occurred.

The question is no longer:

"Did a mistake happen?"

It's:

"Can you prove you took reasonable steps to prevent it?"

Join Samantha Gallagher, VP of Strategic Risk & Compliance at Harri, for a practical session built specifically for restaurant operators navigating California's evolving compliance landscape.

What You'll Learn

Understanding the New PAGA Reality

Learn what changed under California's recent PAGA reforms and how the new "reasonable steps" standard may impact employer liability, penalties, and enforcement exposure.

The Most Common Compliance Risks in Restaurants

Explore the violations that continue to drive PAGA claims, including:

• Meal and rest break compliance
• Overtime and double-time calculations
• Off-the-clock work
• Timekeeping and rounding practices
• Premium pay requirements
• Documentation and recordkeeping gaps

What Courts Want to See

Discover the systems, processes, and documentation employers should maintain to demonstrate ongoing compliance efforts, including:

• Payroll audits
• Break compliance monitoring
• Policy acknowledgments
• Training records
• Audit trails and correction histories

Building a Defensible Compliance Framework

Learn how leading restaurant operators are using technology to create consistent compliance documentation across every location and reduce operational risk.

Who Should Attend?

This session is designed for:

• Restaurant Owners & Operators
• Franchise Groups
• Chief Operating Officers
• Operations Leaders
• HR & People Leaders
• Payroll Teams
• Compliance Professionals
• Multi-Unit Restaurant Executives

Particularly valuable for operators managing 10+ locations in California.

Your Speaker

Samantha Gallagher, VP, Strategic Risk & Compliance, Harri

Samantha works directly with hospitality and restaurant organizations to help navigate workforce compliance challenges, operational risk, labor regulations, and workforce management best practices. She partners with operators nationwide to build scalable compliance strategies that protect businesses while supporting operational excellence.

Pooja Patel, Senior Counsel, Sanders Roberts, LLP

Pooja is an employment attorney with 10 years of litigation and compliance counseling experience, including wage and hour, discrimination, and leave laws. She partners cross-functionally with HR and leadership teams to align legal risk mitigation with business goals, helping organizations navigate complex employment law while staying focused on what matters most: running the business.

Bonus Resources for Attendees

All attendees will receive:

✓ Restaurant Operator's Survival Guide to California Compliance

✓ California PAGA Readiness Checklist

✓ Access to webinar recording

Reserve Your Spot

California compliance requirements continue to evolve. Understanding where your greatest risks exist—and how to document your compliance efforts—has never been more important.

Register today to learn how restaurant operators can strengthen compliance readiness, reduce risk exposure, and prepare for the next generation of PAGA enforcement.