Anticouni & Ricotta | Leaders In Employment Litigation Serving Clients Throughout California.

Labor Commissioner Claims

What You Need To Know About Labor Commissioner Claims

The Labor Commissioner’s office handles wage claims made under the California Labor Code and State Employment regulations. The most common wage and hour claims are for:

  • Unpaid Overtime Compensation

California protects Employees who work overtime. You must be paid overtime compensation, with very limited exceptions, when you work more than eight hours in a day or more than forty hours in a week. Overtime is paid at the rate of one and one-half or double time your regular hourly rate of pay.

An Employer who willfully fails to pay overtime compensation to an Employee will likely also owe that individual substantial monetary penalties.

If you believe you are owed overtime compensation, please contact Anticouni & Ricotta.

  • Minimum Wage Issues

Many Employers fail to pay Employees the California minimum wage. The 2020 wage for employers who have 26 or more employees is $13.00 and $12.00 for employers with 25 or fewer employees.

There are substantial penalties assessed against an Employer every payday it fails to pay you California’s minimum wage.

If you believe you are not being paid California’s minimum wage, please contact Anticouni & Ricotta.

  • Misclassification of Salaried Employees

Employers often deny overtime pay to an Employee because they give the individual a title of supervisor or manager and then call the Employee “Exempt”. Exempt means no overtime compensation. However, determining whether an Employee is legally considered an exempt manager or supervisor is more complex than Employers may wish it to be. Under California law, only your actual duties determine whether or not you are eligible to receive overtime pay ~ your job title is irrelevant. If you meet any of the following requirements, you are probably not legally considered exempt and you should be eligible for overtime compensation back pay:

  • You spend more than half your time doing routine tasks
  • You do not supervise at least two Employees
  • Your salary is less than two-times the minimum wage

If you believe you have been misclassified, please contact Anticouni & Ricotta. If you have been misclassified as an exempt Employee, we will help you obtain overtime compensation back pay.

  • Misclassification of Independent Contractors

Many Employers treat some individuals as Independent Contractors when in fact the individuals are legally Employees. An Employer who classifies Employees as Independent Contractors usually do so in an attempt to avoid the benefits Employees are entitled to under both the Labor Code and tax laws.

Independent Contractors who have been incorrectly classified are entitled to substantial compensation and benefits.

If you believe you have been misclassified as an Independent Contractor, call us for a free consultation.

  • Vacation Pay

Although Employers are not required to provide their Employees with paid vacations, most do. Vacation pay becomes vested throughout the year. For example, if you are entitled to two weeks of paid vacation a year and you leave the company after six months, you are entitled to be paid for one week.

Paid vacation benefits become vested as earned. Whatever vacation pay is due you must be paid when you leave the company.

If you believe you are owed vacation pay, please contact Anticouni & Ricotta.