California SCt applies Dynamex ABC test to pre-Dynamex cases

On January 14, 2021, the California Supreme Court in Vasquez v. Jan-Pro Franchise International, Inc. held that the three-part “ABC” test previously set forth in Dynamex Operations West Inc. v. Superior Court also applies retroactively to all non-final cases that predate the April 2018 Dynamex decision.  In issuing this decision in Vasquez, the California Supreme Court responded to a certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Ninth Circuit had previously withdrawn its own opinion applying the Dynamex ABC test retroactively before certifying the question for decision by the California Supreme Court.