On March 20, 2008, a San Diego court awarded a class of all "baristas" who have worked for Starbucks Corporation in California since October of 2000 over $105 million dollars as a result of Starbucks illegal diversion of tips from baristas to supervisors. The class included over 120,000 current and former employees.

Judge orders Starbucks to pay more than $100 million in back tips (AP/LA Times)

Female whistleblower awarded $500,000 in Decmeber 2007 after three-week arbitration in downtown San Diego. Established that San Diego's largest private employer had wrongfully terminated the plaintiff.

The Daily Journal, April 3, 2008

Class action for unpaid overtime and unreimbursed expenses filed in San Diego County settled for $500,000. Payments to class members were made in April 2008. The class consisted primarily of employees who spoke English as a second language and who had been told they did not qualify for overtime pay.

After three-week jury trial in San Diego Superior Court in September-October 2006, former male Starbucks employee, who alleged he was sexually harassed by his male boss, was awarded $257,500 in compensatory and punitive damages in addition to his attorneys' fees and costs.

Jury awards ex-Starbucks worker $250,000 (SD Union-Tribune)

Mr. Chapko recently obtained a $325,000 settlement for a woman fired for taking time off to treat her breast cancer even though the woman had no economic damages.