Chapter 4. Reemployment Privileges of California Labor Code >> Division 2. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 4.

Any person, or agent or officer thereof, who, after having discharged an employee from the service of such person or after an employee has voluntarily left such service, by any misrepresentation prevents or attempts to prevent the former employee from obtaining employment, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Except as provided in Section 1057, any person or agent or officer thereof, who requires, as a condition precedent to securing or retaining employment, that an employee or applicant for employment be photographed or fingerprinted by any person who desires his or her photograph or fingerprints for the purpose of furnishing the same or information concerning the same or concerning the employee or applicant for employment to any other employer or third person, and these photographs and fingerprints could be used to the detriment of the employee or applicant for employment is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Any person who knowingly causes, suffers, or permits an agent, superintendent, manager, or employee in his employ to commit a violation of sections 1050 and 1051, or who fails to take all reasonable steps within his power to prevent such violation is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Nothing in this chapter shall prevent an employer or an agent, employee, superintendent or manager thereof from furnishing, upon special request therefor, a truthful statement concerning the reason for the discharge of an employee or why an employee voluntarily left the service of the employer. If such statement furnishes any mark, sign, or other means conveying information different from that expressed by words therein, such fact, or the fact that such statement or other means of furnishing information was given without a special request therefor is prima facie evidence of a violation of sections 1050 to 1053.

In addition to and apart from the criminal penalty provided any person or agent or officer thereof, who violates any provision of sections 1050 to 1052, inclusive, is liable to the party aggrieved, in a civil action, for treble damages. Such civil action may be brought by such aggrieved person or his assigns, or successors in interest, without first establishing any criminal liability under this article.

Every public utility corporation shall, upon request by any employee leaving its service, give to such employee a letter stating the period of service and the kind of service rendered to the public utility corporation by the employee.

Every public utility corporation violating Section 1055 is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200) for each offense, which fine shall be collected by the district attorney of the county in which the public utility corporation has its principal place of business.

Section 1051 shall not apply to any employee of a diversified or nondiversified management company, as defined in Section 80a-5 of Title 15 of the United States Code, and the affiliates thereof, as defined in Sections 80a-2(a)(2) and 80a-2(a)(3) of Title 15 of the United States Code, who is required to be fingerprinted pursuant to federal law.