The new year has brought in a number of new laws that benefit California employees. One that affects a wide swath of employees was authored by Santa Barbara State Sen. Monique Limon. Known as the “pay transparency” or “pay equity” law, it requires employers in the...
Wage And Hour Claims
Does salary pay automatically exempt you from overtime?
The profit incentive that drives modern businesses often pits workers against the companies that employ them. Businesses want to pay as little as possible for their labor, while workers obviously want to receive appropriate wages for the work that they perform....
You are not getting the right pay: What should you do?
Not many work-related topics are as emotionally charged and personal as what you take home after a day’s work. Of course, it is never all about money. However, this is one of the primary reasons why you leave home for work every morning. Even if you love your current...
Is timeclock rounding a sneaky way to steal overtime wages?
Digital timekeeping software has made it simpler than ever before for employers to accurately track when workers are on the clock down to the second. However, despite the availability of such highly-specific records, many employers still pay their workers in...
Can your employer demand you take calls and emails all weekend?
Having a mobile phone is a modern necessity. Your friends and family likely assume that they can get a hold of you at any moment thanks to mobile technology. You may derive a lot of personal benefits from having constant access to a powerful telecommunication device....
Can you discuss your pay with your co-workers?
Employers typically try to keep the pay rates for different employees (even those who share the same position) quiet, but they aren’t allowed to stop employees from discussing their wages amongst themselves – even if the employer would prefer that information be kept...
Can your employer demand that you do work off the clock?
Something a job is an hourly employee often means accepting variations in your monthly income. When sales are slow, your employer may cut your hours and leave you struggling to pay your bills. When someone quits unexpectedly, you may have to put in far more hours than...
Has an employer denied you overtime by calling you a contractor?
Workers in every industry have protection under both federal and state employment laws. The right to overtime pay when someone works more than a certain number of hours in a week, so many days in a row without a break or exceptionally long shifts is an important...
Not getting minimum wage? You could have a claim
If you are trying to work to earn a living, the last thing that will help you is getting paid less than you deserve. In California, all employees have to be paid the minimum wage (with some minor exceptions). The minimum wage can vary across the state, but unless a...
Common causes of wage theft in California
When you work, you expect to receive a fair wage. This amount is determined when you are hired and may be incrementally increased for the duration of your employment. While this is the expectation, it’s not always how things work out. More and more California workers...