John Chiv: California Labor Commissioner awards Royal Inn maintenance worker $206,000, no date for appeal, Acosta says clerk mistakenly issued summons

Dec 19, 2023

California Labor Commissioner awards Royal Inn maintenance worker $206,000, no date for appeal, Acosta says clerk mistakenly issued summons

I just did a post on the Royal Inn in September 2023 and that it is expected to open soon and will accept County clients. I was also the only one to report on the fines and stop work orders. Royal Inn owners are Redding based and own other properties in Humboldt and Redding. I was briefly able to check on the case, it is Noah Sidoff vs SNPM, LLC and there is a trial de novo on January 8.

Acosta's email:

"A California Labor Commissioner awarded Noah Sidoff, a maintenance worker at the Royal Inn on Fifth Street in Eureka, CA, a judgment of $206,000 for unpaid wages and penalties. The Royal Inn is appealing the judgment to Superior Court and has posted a bond equal to the entire judgment with the Superior Court. During the administrative hearing on the matter, the owners of the Royal Inn denied that Mr. Sidoff was an employee at all, claiming that the motel was managed and operated by the owners alone, who both live near Redding, CA. Labor Commissioner Hathaway, however, didn;t buy it, and awarded Mr. Sidoff $206,000. "

"No date has been set for the appeal hearing in Superior Court, which is called a "trial de novo" in the Labor Code, since there will be no deference to the facts found by the Labor Commissioner in the Superior Court. The Clerk of the Court has mistakenly issued a summons for Mr. Sidoff to respond, who under the Labor Code, is not required to file a responsive pleading on appeal to the Superior Court. Mr. Sidoff will be moving to quash the issuance of the summons. "

I was the only one to cover a lawsuit and Labor Commissioner ruling against another local motel owner. The Nathas own several properties including the Townhouse, Motel 8, Quality Inn now renamed Bayside Inn. Initially, Mr. Acosta represented the client, then Mr. David Nims took over. The Nathas settled and the terms are confidential.