CA SB1399

Expands the definition of "garment manufacturing" to include dyeing, altering garment design, and affixing labels, and creates new definitions for "garment manufacturer" and "brand guarantor" to increase upstream liability for wage violations.

Prohibits paying garment workers by piece rate or unit, with exceptions for incentive-based bonuses and certain collective bargaining agreements; imposes a $200 statutory penalty per pay period for violations payable to the employee.

Establishes joint and several liability for garment manufacturers and brand guarantors contracting for manufacturing operations, making them liable for all unpaid wages, damages, penalties, attorney's fees, and workers' compensation violations alongside contractors.

Creates a rebuttable presumption that a brand guarantor or manufacturer is liable if an employee provides labels or credible information identifying them, shifting burden to defendants to provide complete, contemporaneous payroll records to rebut the claim.

Increases record-keeping requirements from 3 to 4 years for employers and brand guarantors, requiring retention of all contracts, invoices, purchase orders, and work documentation; renames the wage recovery fund to the "Garment Manufacturers Special Account."