Nearly 50 Workers Shortchanged At SMC Nursery, Lawsuit Claims

HALF MOON BAY, CA — San Mateo County sued two plant companies over accusations that nearly 50 workers at a nursery near Half Moon Bay were repeatedly denied wages and other compensation over several years, the lawsuit states.

The County Attorney's Office filed the civil enforcement action Aug. 10 in San Mateo County Superior Court against Cal Coast Orchids LLC and Mixtiles USA, which does business as EasyPlant.

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"We are taking enforcement action because San Mateo County businesses must be accountable for their obligations as employers," said John Nibbelin, San Mateo County attorney. "When an employer accepts a worker's labor, they take on a clear legal duty: pay that employee fully and lawfully."

The lawsuit claims the companies jointly employed workers who experienced multiple wage violations between 2022 and late 2025, including violations of San Mateo County's minimum wage ordinance and California labor laws.

About two dozen employees were not paid at all for as many as three full pay periods in November and December 2025, according to the county. The unpaid work included long hours leading up to Black Friday and the December holidays.

The accusations had surfaced publicly months before the lawsuit was filed. In March, KALW reported that workers at Cal Coast Orchids protested outside the nursery over unpaid wages and other alleged labor violations.

The workers said at the time that the missed paychecks had caused significant financial hardship for their families.

One worker told KALW that the timing left employees without pay around Christmas, when they also faced rent and other expenses.

The county's lawsuit sought back wages and other damages for affected employees, as well as civil penalties against the companies.

The case was part of San Mateo County's broader effort to crack down on wage theft through its Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement.

The office enforces the county's minimum wage and investigates minimum-wage violations in several cities, including Half Moon Bay, officials said.