Genesis California Hit with Class Action Claiming It Forces Non-English Speakers to Sign English-Language Contracts

New to ClassAction.org? Read our Newswire Disclaimer

Genesis California is the defendant in a proposed class action in which the plaintiff claims the solar panel retailer misrepresented the quality of its goods and violated California law by requiring non-English-speaking consumers to sign contracts in English. These contracts, aside from not being drafted in the native language of proposed class members, fail to include required notices outlining consumers’ rights, the complaint claims. The plaintiff alleges that Genesis California’s conduct amounts to a scheme by which the company has made substantial profits through “false, deceptive, and misleading means.”

The plaintiff claims she was solicited by Genesis California in 2016 to install solar panels on her residence. The negotiations between the plaintiff and the defendant were conducted solely in Spanish, the complaint says, with Genesis California claiming the woman’s energy bill will decrease. Despite the plaintiff’s protest, the case says, Genesis California allegedly required her to sign an English-language contract without any translation from the defendant.

“After installation of the solar panels, [the plaintiff] did not experience any energy savings as promised by [the defendant],” according to the lawsuit. “To the contrary, [the plaintiff’s] electricity has increased each month with the solar panels installed.”