Coast Medical Service Class Action Lawsuit 2026, Travel Nurses and Healthcare Workers Allege Missed Breaks and Unpaid Wages in California

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP filed a class action complaint in the San Joaquin Superior Court of the State of California on May 16, 2026, alleging that Coast Medical Service, Inc. violated multiple sections of the California Labor Code, including failure to provide required meal periods and rest breaks, failure to pay minimum and overtime wages, and failure to provide accurate wage statements. The case is captioned Coast Medical Service, Inc., Case No. STK-CV-UOE-2026-2422. No settlement exists and no claim form is open.

Quick Facts: Coast Medical Service California Labor Code Class Action

Field	Detail
Lawsuit Filed	May 16, 2026
Defendant	Coast Medical Service, Inc.
Alleged Violation	California Labor Code §§ 201–203, 226, 226.7, 233, 246, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802; applicable Wage Orders
Who Is Affected	Current and former California employees of Coast Medical Service, Inc. — including travel nurses, per diem nurses, and allied healthcare professionals
Court & Jurisdiction	San Joaquin Superior Court, State of California
Case Number	STK-CV-UOE-2026-2422
Lead Law Firm	Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP
Contact	(800) 568-8020 / bamlawca.com
Current Stage	Early litigation — class not yet certified
Settlement Status	None — no settlement, no claim form
Next Hearing Date	TBD — not yet scheduled
Last Updated	May 17, 2026

What the Coast Medical Service Lawsuit Is About

Coast Medical Service is a healthcare staffing company focused on per diem and travel nursing, and was recognized on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list. The company has operated as a family-owned travel healthcare staffing agency since 1979, placing nurses and allied healthcare professionals in assignments across the country. The lawsuit does not target the assignments Coast arranges — it targets how the company allegedly treated its own employees under California law.

According to the complaint, Coast Medical Service allegedly required employees to work during their meal periods, which should have been off-duty breaks. The lawsuit further claims the company rounded meal period time to avoid paying break penalties to employees. As a result of their work schedules, employees were allegedly required to perform work for more than five hours during some shifts without receiving a meal break — a direct violation of California Labor Codes §§ 1194, 1197, and 1197.1.

The allegations go well beyond missed lunch breaks. The complaint alleges Coast Medical Service: failed to provide required meal and rest periods, failed to pay minimum and overtime wages, failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, failed to reimburse employees for required expenses, failed to pay sick wages, and failed to provide wages when due — all in alleged violation of California Labor Code Sections 201–203, 226, 226.7, 233, 246, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, and 2802, along with the applicable California Wage Orders.

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This is what California employment attorneys call an unpaid wages lawsuit — a class action built around a pattern of alleged Labor Code violations affecting a group of workers in the same way. For healthcare staffers who work long, demanding shifts with minimal downtime, missed breaks and unpaid overtime can add up to thousands of dollars over the course of an assignment. California law gives those workers powerful tools to recover what they are owed. For a full breakdown of California deadlines for filing these types of claims, see AllAboutLawyer.com’s guide to Wage and Hour Claims in California.

Are You Part of the Coast Medical Service Class Action?

This case targets Coast Medical Service employees who worked in California. If you are or were a travel nurse, per diem nurse, or allied healthcare professional placed by Coast Medical Service and worked in California, this lawsuit may include you.

You may be part of this class if:

• You are a current or former employee of Coast Medical Service, Inc. who worked in California
• You worked shifts longer than five hours without receiving a 30-minute off-duty meal break
• You worked shifts longer than four hours without receiving a 10-minute rest period
• You were required to perform work duties during what should have been an off-duty meal period
• Your pay stubs did not accurately reflect all hours worked, break penalties owed, or overtime earned
• You incurred work-related expenses that Coast Medical Service did not reimburse
• You were not paid sick pay you were entitled to, or did not receive your final wages on time after leaving the company

You are likely NOT included if:

• You are an independent contractor — though if you believe Coast classified you incorrectly as a contractor when you functioned as an employee, speak with an employment discrimination attorney, as California’s ABC test for worker classification is one of the strictest in the country
• You worked for Coast Medical Service exclusively outside California
• You have already signed a settlement or release of wage claims with Coast Medical Service covering this period.

What California Law Says Employers Must Do — And What Coast Medical Service Allegedly Did Not

California has among the strongest employment class action protections in the United States. Under the California Labor Code, employers must provide employees with a 30-minute off-duty meal break for any shift over five hours, and a 10-minute paid rest break for every four hours worked. When an employer fails to provide these breaks, it owes the employee one additional hour of pay for each missed meal period and one additional hour of pay for each missed rest period — called “premium pay” or “break penalties.”

The Coast Medical Service lawsuit alleges the company not only failed to provide these breaks, but also rounded meal period time in its payroll records — meaning the system was allegedly logging shortened or interrupted meal breaks as full 30-minute breaks to avoid triggering the penalty payment owed to employees. That practice, if proven, compounds the wage loss for every affected worker on every shift where it occurred.

On top of break violations, California Labor Code § 226 requires employers to provide accurate, itemized wage statements showing total hours worked, applicable rates, all deductions, and the total wages paid. California Labor Code § 2802 separately requires employers to reimburse workers for all necessary business expenses. The complaint alleges Coast Medical Service fell short on both. Travel nurses and per diem healthcare workers often incur real out-of-pocket costs related to their assignments — and if those costs went unreimbursed, the law provides a path to recovery.

What Should Coast Medical Service Employees Do Right Now?

If you are a current or former Coast Medical Service employee who worked in California, you do not need to file anything today to be part of this class action. Under California class action rules, you are likely included automatically if you meet the criteria above. But taking these steps now protects your position.

Pull your pay stubs and time records. Request or locate records for every shift you worked while employed by Coast Medical Service in California. Look at whether your meal breaks were recorded accurately, whether your overtime was calculated and paid correctly, and whether your wage statements include all required information. Discrepancies between what you actually worked and what was recorded are exactly the kind of evidence that drives these cases.

Document unreimbursed expenses. Travel nurses and per diem workers often pay for housing deposits, licensing fees, uniforms, or equipment out of pocket. If Coast Medical Service did not reimburse expenses you incurred for work purposes, keep those records.

Understand California’s statute of limitations. Wage and hour claims in California have specific filing deadlines — generally three years for most wage violations, and up to four years under the California Unfair Competition Law. The sooner you act, the more of your claim period you preserve. The earlier violations in your employment may be time-barred if you wait.

Talk to an employment attorney before accepting any company offer. If Coast Medical Service contacts you about resolving a wage dispute individually, do not sign anything without speaking to an employment class action settlement lawyer first. A signed individual release can remove you from the class action entirely.

Contact the law firm directly. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP can be reached at (800) 568-8020, and their website is bamlawca.com. Initial consultations are free. They work on contingency — meaning no cost to you unless they recover money on your behalf.

Coast Medical Service Class Action Lawsuit Timeline

Milestone	Date
Coast Medical Service Founded	1979
Class Action Filed in San Joaquin Superior Court	May 16, 2026
Case Number Assigned	STK-CV-UOE-2026-2422
Class Certification Motion	TBD — not yet filed
Next Scheduled Hearing	TBD — not yet set as of May 17, 2026
Expected Resolution Timeline	TBD — California employment class actions typically take 2–4 years

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a class action lawsuit against Coast Medical Service? 

Yes. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP filed a class action complaint against Coast Medical Service, Inc. in the San Joaquin Superior Court of the State of California on May 16, 2026, Case No. STK-CV-UOE-2026-2422, alleging violations of the California Labor Code including failure to provide meal periods and rest breaks, unpaid wages, and inaccurate wage statements.

Do I need to do anything right now to be included? 

Not immediately. If you are a current or former California employee of Coast Medical Service who experienced the alleged violations, you are likely part of the proposed class automatically. The most valuable thing you can do now is preserve your pay stubs, time records, and expense documentation so you can support any future claim.

When will a settlement be reached?

 There is no settlement and no timeline. This case was just filed on May 16, 2026. California employment class actions of this type typically take two to four years to resolve. Class certification must happen before settlement discussions become meaningful.

How much money could I recover from the Coast Medical Service lawsuit?

 TBD — no amount has been established because no settlement exists. Under California law, each missed meal break and each missed rest period entitles an employee to one additional hour of pay at their regular rate. Unpaid overtime, unreimbursed expenses, and wage statement penalties add further potential recovery. For workers on demanding healthcare schedules, these amounts can be significant — but the final per-person recovery depends on how many class members participate, what the court certifies, and what any eventual settlement or verdict provides.

Can I file my own individual claim instead of joining the class?

Yes. You have the right to opt out of a class action and pursue an individual workplace harassment claim or wage claim separately. Individual actions may produce larger recoveries for workers with especially significant losses. Speaking with an employment discrimination attorney who handles individual wage claims can help you decide which path fits your situation.

How will I know if the case settles?

 California class action rules require formal notice to all class members if a settlement is proposed and approved. That notice typically comes by mail or email using company employment records. You can also monitor the San Joaquin Superior Court docket for Case No. STK-CV-UOE-2026-2422, or check directly with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP at (800) 568-8020.

Does this case affect Coast Medical Service travel nurses placed in other states? 

The lawsuit was filed under California law and covers work performed in California. If you worked a Coast Medical Service assignment in another state, California Labor Code protections do not automatically apply. However, other states have their own wage and hour laws. Contact an employment attorney familiar with the state where you worked.

Sources & References

• PR Newswire — Official complaint announcement by Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP (May 16, 2026)
• San Joaquin Superior Court — Case No. STK-CV-UOE-2026-2422 (accessible via California Courts case search at https://www.courts.ca.gov/)
• California Labor Code §§ 201–203, 226, 226.7, 233, 246, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802 — California Legislative Information: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official PR Newswire complaint announcement and California Labor Code provisions on May 17, 2026. Last Updated: May 17, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.