Category: Failure to Pay Wages

Employers set regulations and conduct standards for employees, but there are limits to what they include in these. One thing that shocks some California employees is that employers can’t forbid employees to discuss their pay.

In many occupations, employees follow a weekly shift schedule and are also expected to remain on-call in case they are needed.

When your employer fails to pay the wages or benefits you have earned, filing a wage claim is one of the most effective ways to recover what you are owed. California law provides strong protections for workers, regardless of immigration status, and the Labor Commissioner’s Office offers a formal process to resolve disputes over unpaid wages.

Every business has different policies regarding how they treat their workers. So long as companies comply with federal regulations and California state law, they can create the type of work culture that they deem appropriate given the nature of the business.

Work isn’t just clocking in at your desk or factory floor. It also includes any time you’re performing tasks for your employer, whether at home, in the car or on vacation. Are you responding to work emails, taking phone calls or completing assignments outside your scheduled hours? That’s work, and you deserve to be paid.

Filing a wage and hour claim in California can be a stressful process, especially when you’re already dealing with the practical (and emotional) consequences of unpaid wages, overtime violations or the misclassification as an independent contractor.

Those who move to California for work are sometimes unaware of how overtime laws work here. After all, in other states, you generally have to reach 40 hours before you start getting overtime.

If you ask the average worker if they’re experiencing wage theft on the job, they will probably say they’re not

Many people assume that minimum wage laws – whether federal or state – apply to everyone regardless of what kind of work they do or their demographic information. However, that hasn’t always held true for employees with disabilities.

You may have come to California to enjoy the freedom America offers, but you still need to earn a living wage. Some employers treat undocumented employees fairly, while others take advantage of their vulnerability by paying them less than they have earned.