Table of Contents
- Common Wage Theft Tactics in California
- Overtime Pay Requirements
- Meal and Rest Break Violations
- Misclassification of Employees
- PAGA Claims and Class Actions
- Recovering Unpaid Wages
- Conclusion
Key Takeaways
- California minimum wage is $16.00/hour in 2024, with higher rates in some LA municipalities
- Non-exempt employees earn 1.5x regular rate after 8 hours daily or 40 hours weekly
- Employers must provide 30-minute meal breaks and 10-minute rest periods
- Misclassifying employees as independent contractors or exempt is a major violation
- PAGA allows employees to sue on behalf of the state for labor code violations
Wage theft costs California workers billions of dollars annually, with Los Angeles County experiencing some of the highest rates of employer violations. Understanding your wage rights helps identify when employers fail to comply with California’s protective labor laws. The wage and hour attorneys at Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. have recovered millions for workers cheated out of their rightful compensation.
Common Wage Theft Tactics in California
Employers steal wages through various methods including paying below minimum wage, failing to pay overtime, denying meal and rest breaks, making illegal deductions, and misclassifying workers. These violations affect workers across industries from restaurants to tech companies.
California’s minimum wage reaches $16.00 per hour in 2024, but several Los Angeles municipalities set higher local minimums. Employers must pay the highest applicable rate.
Overtime Pay Requirements
Non-exempt California employees earn overtime at 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked beyond 8 per day or 40 per week. Double time applies after 12 hours in a single day or when working more than 8 hours on the seventh consecutive workday.
Employers cannot avoid overtime obligations through averaging hours across pay periods or requiring employees to work “off the clock.”
Meal and Rest Break Violations
California law requires 30-minute unpaid meal breaks for shifts exceeding 5 hours and a second meal break for shifts over 10 hours. Employers must also provide 10-minute paid rest breaks for every 4 hours worked.
When employers deny or interrupt breaks, employees are entitled to one additional hour of pay at their regular rate for each violation.
Misclassification of Employees
Employers misclassify workers as independent contractors to avoid minimum wage, overtime, and benefit requirements. California’s ABC test presumes workers are employees unless the employer proves otherwise.
Similarly, misclassifying non-exempt employees as exempt managers denies workers overtime protections.
PAGA Claims and Class Actions
The Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) allows employees to sue employers on behalf of the State of California for labor code violations. PAGA claims can recover civil penalties even when individual damages are small.
Recovering Unpaid Wages
Employees can recover unpaid wages plus waiting time penalties, interest, and attorney’s fees. Filing a wage claim with the Labor Commissioner or pursuing litigation preserves your rights.
Conclusion: Fight Back Against Wage Theft
If your Los Angeles employer has cheated you out of wages, overtime, or meal breaks, you have powerful legal remedies available. California’s wage and hour laws are among the strongest in the nation, and they’re designed to protect workers like you. Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. has extensive experience prosecuting wage theft cases, including complex PAGA actions that hold employers accountable.
We understand the financial stress wage theft creates, which is why we work on a contingency basis—you don’t pay attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. Whether you’re dealing with unpaid overtime, misclassification, or denied meal breaks, our employment law team has the expertise to maximize your recovery. Contact Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. today to discuss your wage and hour claim.
