Garment Workers: SB 62 Ended Piece-Rate Pay and Made Brands Liable

California’s Garment Worker Protection Act abolished piece-rate pay in garment manufacturing and put fashion brands on the hook for wages down their supply chain.

What California Law Says

SB 62 requires hourly pay for garment workers, imposes liability on brand guarantors contracting for garment production, and maintains a special fund for unpaid wages. The Labor Commissioner’s garment unit adjudicates claims through a dedicated process.

How to Fight Back, Step by Step

1. Document the factory, the labels being sewn, and your hours — photos of labels connect brands to your claim.
2. File with the Labor Commissioner’s garment unit naming the manufacturer and the brand guarantors.
3. Claim minimum wage, overtime, and the statutory damages that piece-rate payment now triggers.
4. Pursue the garment restitution fund if the employer cannot pay.
5. Coordinate with worker centers — group filings against shared contractors move faster.

Common Questions

My boss still pays per piece and says everyone does. What are my damages?

Per-piece pay in garment work now itself creates liability including compensatory damages, on top of any minimum wage and overtime shortfalls.

Can the fashion brand really be made to pay for the factory’s theft?

Yes — brand guarantor liability is the centerpiece of SB 62, designed to make labels police their contractors.