Sharif v. Mehusa, Inc., 2015 WL 5969679 (Cal. Ct. App. 2015)

Mahta Sharif sued her former employer (Mehusa) for unpaid overtime, unpaid wages and violation of California’s Equal Pay Act (“EPA”). While Sharif prevailed on her EPA claim, Mehusa prevailed on the overtime and wage claims. Sharif sought reimbursement of her attorney’s fees pursuant to Labor Code § 1197.5(g), and Mehusa sought reimbursement of its attorney’s fees pursuant to Labor Code § 218.5. The trial court offset the attorney’s fees awards for a net award to Sharif in the amount of $3,709. The Court of Appeal affirmed, holding that where there are two fee-shifting statutes in separate causes of action, there can be a prevailing party for one cause of action and a different prevailing party for the other. See also Royal Pac. Funding Corp. v. Arneson, 239 Cal. App. 4th 1275 (2015) (former employee was “successful” on employer’s appeal from award in employee’s favor and was entitled to recover her attorney’s fees pursuant to Labor Code § 98.2(c) despite employer’s withdrawal of its appeal).