Told to push a sale you think is deceptive? Your California rights

If your California employer tells you to do something at work that you believe would break the law, Labor Code §1102.5 bars retaliation for refusing to take part in activity that would violate a law or regulation. Reporting a suspected violation is protected too. Reports on closed Los Angeles-area Bee & Co. skin care stores raise these questions for retail workers, along with what you are owed when a store closes or changes its name.

1. What happened at the Bee & Co. stores

CBS News reported on Oct. 27, 2026, that since a CBS California Investigates report first aired in August, Bee & Co. stores at Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park and Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance have closed permanently. CBS reported that a third store, at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks, closed and quickly reopened as “LUME,” and that its reporters saw the same employees and products there after the name change.

Watch the CBS LA report: “Former Bee & Co. employee recalls high-pressure sales tactics amid California store closures” (CBS LA, October 27, 2026)

CBS said its investigation focused on businesses tied to Mazal Group, a Chatsworth-based distributor, and that consumers accused beauty store retailers of aggressive, at times coercive, sales tactics and deceptive refund policies. A former receptionist who worked for eight months at a Bee & Co. store in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, not in California, told CBS that employees “would always kind of go for elderly people” and that hesitant customers would be shamed. She said refunds were generally unavailable unless customers became confrontational or threatened legal action, and that her employer told her to turn down a return.

Mazal Group says it is “an independent distributor of cosmetic products” with “no role at all in directing retail operations or the sale and refund policies of stores that sell our products,” and that it condemns predatory and aggressive selling by retailers. In an earlier report updated Oct. 1, 2026, CBS said Bee & Co.’s attorney sent a letter calling its coverage of one customer’s dispute “a one-sided and misleading account.”

CBS reported that New Mexico’s attorney general said his office is sharing information with California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office, and noted that no enforcement action by Bonta was announced. These remain allegations; this article does not decide whether anyone broke the law. The reports do not describe how employees at these stores were paid, or whether any worker is owed wages. The rest of this guide covers what California law generally provides.

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2. When a sales instruction crosses a legal line

Employees generally must follow an employer’s directions, but Labor Code §2856 makes an exception for directions that are unlawful. An uncomfortable script or a pushy manager may be perfectly legal. Instructions can create legal risk when they involve:

• False statements: California’s Unfair Competition Law covers unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business practices and misleading advertising (Bus. & Prof. Code §17200).
• Refund handling: A retailer that limits refunds or exchanges generally must conspicuously display that policy, with exceptions (Civil Code §1723).

Key fact

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3. Your right to refuse and to report

Under Labor Code §1102.5, an employer may not:

• Adopt or enforce a rule that stops you from reporting a suspected violation to a government agency or to someone at work with authority to investigate it.
• Retaliate because you made such a report, if you have reasonable cause to believe the information discloses a violation.
• Retaliate because you refused to participate in activity that would result in a violation of a state or federal statute, or a local, state or federal rule or regulation.

A report is protected when you have reasonable cause to believe there was a violation. The refusal protection is worded around activity that would actually result in a violation, so the specifics matter. See our guides to whistleblower retaliation and Labor Code §1102.5.

In a §1102.5 case, you first show by a preponderance of the evidence that protected activity was a contributing factor in what happened to you. The employer must then prove by clear and convincing evidence that it would have taken the same action for legitimate, independent reasons (Labor Code §1102.6). Remedies can include a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per employee per violation, awarded to the employee, and reasonable attorney’s fees for a successful plaintiff.

Two related protections:

• Labor Code §98.6: This bars retaliation for complaining about unpaid wages or pursuing a wage claim. Remedies include reinstatement and lost wages, and adverse action within 90 days creates a rebuttable presumption in your favor.
• Wrongful termination: Firing someone for refusing to violate a statute can support a claim for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy.

Hypothetical example. Marcus sells mattresses at a California chain. His manager tells him to say a warranty covers defects he knows it excludes. Marcus refuses, emails the manager explaining why and reports the script to the regional office. Two weeks later his shifts are cut with no explanation. Those facts may raise a §1102.5 question.

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4. Commission agreements and earned commissions

If your pay includes commissions, Labor Code §2751 requires a written contract stating how they are computed and paid. The employer must give you a signed copy and get a signed receipt.

Not every incentive counts. Section 2751 excludes short-term productivity bonuses such as those paid to retail clerks, temporary incentives that only add to contract pay, and most bonus and profit-sharing plans.

The Labor Commissioner says commissions earned by the termination date are due with final pay on a discharge, or on a quit with more than 72 hours’ notice, and commissions not yet earned are due once the remaining condition is met. See our guide to unpaid commissions and bonuses.

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5. Final pay when a store closes or rebrands

When an employer ends your job, Labor Code §201 generally makes all wages, including accrued vacation, due immediately. Quitting has separate timing: on your last day with 72 hours’ notice, otherwise within 72 hours (§202). A willful failure to pay can trigger waiting-time penalties of up to 30 days’ wages (§203), though a good-faith dispute over the amount can defeat the penalty. See our final paycheck guide.

A rebrand is harder. If the same employer only changes a store’s name, your employment may continue with ordinary paydays. If a different company takes over, your old job may have ended and final pay may be due. Check your pay stubs, which must show the name and address of the legal entity that is your employer (Labor Code §226(a)(8)). If it is unclear, ask a lawyer.

Civil penaltyUp to $10,000

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6. Does Cal-WARN apply?

Often not to a small store. Cal-WARN’s 60-day notice rule covers an industrial or commercial facility that employs, or employed in the preceding 12 months, 75 or more people, and is triggered by a mass layoff of 50 or more within 30 days, a relocation of 100 miles or more, or a termination of operations (Labor Code §§1400.5, 1401). Where it applies, remedies include back pay and benefits for up to 60 days, capped at half the days you were employed (§1402). More in our Cal-WARN guide.

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7. Wage claims when a store reopens under a new name

A closure does not erase wages you are owed, though collecting can be harder. California has several tools:

• Labor Code §200.3: A successor to a judgment debtor can be liable for wages, damages and penalties owed under a final judgment. Criteria include substantially the same facilities or workforce offering the same services, or substantially the same owners or managers.
• Labor Code §238: After written notice, an employer similar in operation and ownership to one with an unsatisfied wage judgment can be treated as the same employer under that section’s bond rules.
• Labor Code §558.1: An owner, director, officer or managing agent who violates or causes certain wage violations may be held liable as the employer.

The first two statutes speak to final judgments. Whether any of this reaches a particular rebranded store depends on who owns and runs it, so ask a lawyer.

Claim	Where it can go	General deadline
Retaliation complaint	Labor Commissioner	One year from the act (§98.7); court remains an option
Unpaid wages under statute	Labor Commissioner or court	Three years
Commissions under a written contract	Labor Commissioner or court	Four years
Wrongful termination in violation of public policy	Court	Generally two years (Code Civ. Proc. §335.1)

Deadline1 year

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8. Document your concerns safely

1. Keep dated notes of what you were told, by whom, and who heard it.
2. Put your objection in a calm, factual email, and keep a copy.
3. Save your own contract, commission plan, pay stubs and reviews. An employer must provide requested wage statement records within 21 days (§226).
4. Do not take customer files, card data, medical details or trade secrets. Section 1102.5 does not override trade secret or privilege protections.
5. Be careful with recording. Penal Code §632 generally prohibits recording a confidential conversation without all parties’ consent. See our post on recording your boss.

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9. Where to report

The California Attorney General must maintain a whistleblower hotline for possible violations of state or federal law and refer calls to the appropriate authority, keeping the caller’s identity confidential during the initial review (Labor Code §1102.7). A call does not replace your own complaint or lawsuit.

For retaliation and unpaid wages, go to the Labor Commissioner. See its retaliation complaint page and wage claim page, and our comparison of a wage claim versus hiring a lawyer.

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10. Common employer defenses

• “You missed sales targets.” Compare your numbers with co-workers’ and with your record before you spoke up.
• “The instruction was legal.” Identify the specific rule at stake.
• “The store closed, so everyone lost their job.” A real closure can be a legitimate reason. Look at who was offered other work, and when.

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Laws this article relies on

Law	What it does here
Labor Code §1102.5	Protects reporting and refusing to take part in violations
Labor Code §98.6	Bars retaliation for wage complaints
Labor Code §2751	Written commission contracts
Labor Code §§201–203	Final pay and waiting-time penalties
Labor Code §§200.3, 238, 558.1	Successor liability on a final wage judgment, bond rules, and personal liability for certain listed violations

News sources: CBS News via Yahoo (October 27, 2026); CBS News (October 1, 2026).

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Frequently asked questions

Can I be fired for refusing to use a sales script I think is deceptive?

California bars retaliation for refusing to participate in activity that would violate a law or regulation. Whether your script qualifies depends on what it says.

Does high-pressure selling by itself break the law?

Not necessarily. Aggressive selling can be legal; false statements can violate consumer protection rules.

Does a commission plan have to be in writing?

Generally yes under §2751, with exceptions for some bonuses and short-term incentives.

My store reopened under a new name. Who owes my wages?

Start with the legal entity on your pay stubs. Successor rules exist, but how they apply depends on ownership, management and operations, so ask a lawyer.

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Talk to a California employment lawyer

Employees First Labor Law represents workers exclusively. If you faced retaliation for refusing an instruction or reporting a concern, or you are owed commissions or final pay after a store closed, we offer free virtual consultations. Contact us or call (310) 853-3461.

This article is general information about California law as of 2026, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.