California Employment Law Blog

Are you concerned that your employer may be making illegal deductions from your paycheck? If you work in California, know that the state has strict laws governing wage and hour practices. Employers are prohibited from making unauthorized deductions from employees’ wages, including cash shortages, breakage and uniforms, among other things.…

Construction companies in California sometimes misclassify employees as independent contractors so they do not have to provide them with worker’s compensation coverage and other benefits. This leaves workers who are injured in on-the-job accidents vulnerable and violates state law. When the California Department of Industrial Relations Labor Enforcement Task Force…

California businesses are opting more and more to have independent contractors perform work for them. These people can perform much of the same work as regular employees but carry notable differences. This is how an independent contractor compares. Understanding independent contractors Independent contractors are considered freelancers and are not official staff…

Minimum wage laws in California have few exceptions. You, as an individual, cannot agree to accept pay below minimum wage. Employers cannot reduce wages based on tips received. If your employer failed to meet pay standards, you may file a wage claim for unpaid compensation with the Division of Labor…

Workers in California will be protected by new laws starting in 2023. Below are some important changes. Expansion of paid sick leave A new bill, AB 1041, expands employees’ rights under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Under AB 1041, you can use your paid sick leave to care for…

Most workers in California are entitled to overtime at a rate of at least 1.5 times their regular pay when they work more than eight hours in a workday, but agricultural workers in California have not always enjoyed the same rights. That changed in 2016 when California lawmakers passed Assembly…

If you believe your employer is failing to pay you all you are owed, the first important thing to do is know your rights. California has some of the strongest legal protections in the world for workers. Here are some basic things to understand: 1. Overtime pay should start if…

Under California law, employees have specific rights concerning meal breaks and rest breaks. Many employees don’t understand these rights, and some employers take advantage of that. One way this happens is by requiring workers to respond to phone or walkie-talkie communications during breaks. Portable communication devices and wage violations Many…

Employees in California are entitled to certain rights regarding work hours and pay, including payment for overtime hours. California employment laws provide some of the strongest protections in the world for employees. If you suspect that your wage and hour rights have been violated, talk to a California employment law…

If you have not received the wages your employer owes you, you can file a claim to recover them. You must complete this process within a certain timeframe, and an employment law attorney can provide more information about that, as well as represent you in your wage claim. The following…