Randolph v. Trustees of the Cal. State University

**Randolph v. Trustees of the Cal. State University** This case involved a worker who filed a lawsuit against the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department claiming employment law violations. The worker, Randolph, alleged that the employer had violated certain criminal statutes in their treatment of him as an employee. The court dismissed the case entirely and ruled that Randolph could not refile it. The judge determined that Randolph failed to present a valid legal claim that courts could address. Specifically, the court found that while the worker cited violations of criminal laws, those particular criminal statutes don't give individual workers the right to sue their employers in civil court for damages. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling highlights an important distinction in employment law. Just because an employer may have broken a criminal law doesn't automatically mean a worker can sue them in civil court. Workers can only file lawsuits based on laws that specifically grant them a "private right of action" - meaning the law explicitly allows individuals to seek compensation through the courts. When considering legal action against an employer, workers should consult with employment attorneys to determine whether the specific laws violated actually provide grounds for a civil lawsuit.