Imagine meditating for enlightenment… only to realize your “stipend” for four years of cooking, cleaning, and guest-hosting at the San Francisco Zen Center was $198.33 a month. Cue one very grounded wage claim.
In Lorenzo v. San Francisco Zen Center, Annette Lorenzo won $149,000+ from the Labor Commissioner for unpaid minimum wage and overtime. The trial court said “ministerial exception—nope.” The Court of Appeal said “not so fast—show me how paying her messes with the dharma.”
On February 11, 2026, the California Supreme Court granted review to settle the big question:
Does the First Amendment’s ministerial exception categorically block all wage-and-hour claims by ministers, or must courts actually check whether the lawsuit meddles in religious affairs?
A broad “yes, always barred” ruling would shield every church, temple, and mosque from labor-law headaches. A narrower “it depends” ruling might turn clergy across California into meticulous timesheet keepers.
Briefs are coming, arguments later this year. Bottom line: This isn’t just about back pay—it’s about whether karma comes with a payroll deduction.
Stay tuned. Namaste… and maybe keep a punch clock handy.