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Hard-working Californians deserve full pay for their labor, including overtime, paid sick leave, and reimbursement for work expenses. Companies cannot dodge those obligations by misclassifying their workers as independent contractors. In 2020, California DOJ took Lyft to court, alleging that from 2016 to 2020 the company had done just that to the drivers who helped build its success.
This week, we secured a $272.5 million settlement to get those drivers paid.
Once the court approves it, at least $237 million will go back into the pockets of thousands of drivers who have waited years for the pay they are owed. It is the largest worker misclassification recovery in California history, and it sends a clear message to any company thinking of skirting the law to save a quick buck: My office is watching.
Your Attorney General,
Rob
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Challenging the Trump Administration’s Rollback of Fuel Economy Standards
 President Trump started a war that has created volatility in oil markets, disrupted global energy supplies, and left families and businesses paying the price at the pump. Yet, the Trump Administration wants to force Americans to spend billions more on gas by weakening corporate average fuel economy standards for new passenger cars and light trucks. This week, I led a coalition of 26 states, counties, and cities in filing a lawsuit to challenge this unlawful rollback. We are committed to defending fuel economy standards that keep costs down, protect public health, and build a better, more sustainable future.
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Serving Investigative Subpoena on OpenAI
 Last month, my office announced a formal investigation into the security incident involving OpenAI and Hugging Face. This week, we served an investigative subpoena on OpenAI as part of our ongoing investigation of incidents resulting from the operations of OpenAI and its AI models. Frontier models, or the most advanced AI models available, can be legitimate tools for cyber defense — at the same time, companies that develop these models and offer them for use have a moral and legal responsibility to ensure that they do not perpetrate or enable cyberattacks. We encourage anyone with information regarding this, or any similar cybersecurity incidents or risks, to contact oag.ca.gov/report.
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Making Your Life Affordable
 Making Your Life Affordable: From groceries to gas, costs seem to be rising and rising ... and rising. California DOJ has your back and is committed to protecting California families grappling with the high cost of living. In this segment, find some of the ways California DOJ is protecting Californians — and their wallets.
What We Did: Last week, our office secured a court decision holding that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) must request necessary funding so the CFPB can operate as Congress intended — lawfully funded and able to work so consumers have access to fair, transparent, and competitive markets for consumer financial products.
What This Means to You: If you have ever had issues with your car loan, sending money internationally, or disputing a credit score or debt collection error, the CFPB was created to help you! The CFPB was established to protect consumers from being taken advantage of by corporations — and has returned over $20 billion to Americans since its creation. However, the Trump Administration’s continued destruction of the CFPB puts families nationwide at a glaring disadvantage when standing up to big businesses that aren’t playing by the rules. Our win is important, but the work is not over: California DOJ has been a vocal and steadfast supporter of policies that protect consumers and will continue to advocate for a CFPB that operates at full capacity.
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Keeping You Safe
 Our best work keeping California communities safe happens when we get out of our silos and work together as federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
This week, my office hosted the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies (NASDEA) fall conference, bringing together law enforcement leaders who work every day to confront narcotics trafficking, fentanyl distribution, and organized crime elements across our country. Hosting NASDEA’s Fall Conference strengthens the partnerships that help us protect California families from the harm caused by drug trafficking — from overdose deaths to neighborhood violence.
The knowledge shared supports safer communities, saves lives, and helps more families avoid the heartbreak of losing a loved one. It was a time to reinforce our united mission, share intelligence, evaluate emerging drug threats, and collaborate on advanced investigative strategies. Great work can be done when law enforcement agencies from all levels of government come together and work for the good of California.
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CARE Corner
 I established the Office of Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement (CARE) with a simple, but important goal: to strengthen the connection between California DOJ and the communities we serve — particularly communities that have been historically marginalized, underrepresented, and are most directly impacted by the issues we address.
This week, CARE Community Outreach Managers hosted CARE Conversations in Santa Ana, Bakersfield, Gilroy, and Hollister. CARE Conversations are intended to strengthen relationships and exchange information with local community organizations and leaders, helping our office identify emerging issues and ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives in our work.
Also this week, CARE launched the first in a series of CARE Community virtual briefings, beginning with SB 54 Updated Guidance and Model Policies for California’s Public Institutions. To register for the next CARE Community Briefing, please click on the button below.
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Post of the Week
 We’ve secured a $272.5 million settlement with Lyft that will put at least $237 million back in the pockets of thousands of misclassified Lyft drivers.
This is the largest worker misclassification settlement in California history.
We will continue to empower workers, combat unfair and deceptive practices, and ensure all Californians can thrive from the fruits of their labor.
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FLASH BRIEFING
Court Sides with Attorney General Bonta in RealPage Case, Denies RealPage and Landlords’ Attempt to Evade Responsibility in Rent Pricing Lawsuit
Attorney General Bonta Announces Settlement with Natomas Unified School District to Address Policies and Practices Relating to Student Privacy and Discrimination of Black Students and Students with Disabilities
Attorney General Bonta Joins Bipartisan Coalition in Urging Congress to Fully Fund Supreme Court Security
Attorney General Bonta Conditionally Approves Sale of St. Elizabeth Care Center in North Hollywood, Requiring Protections for Residents and Continued Access to Care
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Video of the Week
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Make a Difference at California DOJ
 Apply today to help California DOJ protect the health, well-being, and public safety of Californians. Check out our featured jobs below and visit oag.ca.gov/careers for a full listing of available positions:
Attorney General’s Honors Program:
Deputy Attorney General
Graduate Legal Assistant
Geoffrey Wright Solicitor General Fellowship:
Deputy Attorney General
Deputy Attorney General, Employment Law
Deputy Attorney General IV, Licensing Section
Deputy Attorney General IV, DMFEA Civil Section
Deputy Attorney General IV, Healthcare Rights and Access
Deputy Attorney General IV, DMFEA Criminal Prosecutions Section
Information Technology Assistant Chief, California Justice Information Services Division
Program Assistant Chief, California Justice Information Services Division
Bureau Director, Application Development Bureau
Healthcare Competition Economist, Healthcare Rights and Access Section
Paralegal, Government Law
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