Orange County Wage and Hour Attorney

California Wage and Hour Law

Fair employment is the law in California. If your employer failed to pay you for required overtime work, expected you to work during meal breaks, or withheld commissions or bonuses, you may be entitled to compensation.

For many years, the lawyers at the law firm of Sexual Harassment Employment Attorneys, have fought to protect clients throughout Orange County and surrounding areas. We offer our clients compassionate and sophisticated employment law representation. We have a comprehensive understanding of the California Labor Code and can provide you with knowledgeable and skilled legal representation. If you have a wage or hour issue with your employer, we urge you to contact our firm to schedule a free initial consultation with an Orange County wage and hour claim attorney as soon as you can.

California Wage and Hour Claims

The Orange County wage and hour lawyers at our law firm have represented hundreds of clients with complex wage and hour claims, such as:

• Off-the-clock wage violations: Commonly, employees are expected to accomplish more work in less time. With high demands, hourly employees are often forced to work overtime in order to meet their deadlines, while not getting compensated for their work.
• Employee misclassifications: Intentionally or unintentionally, employers often misclassify contractors, non-exempt or exempt employees. The job duties someone performs — not their title — determines their employee classification and whether or not they should be compensated for overtime work.
• Meal and rest breaks: Employers can be held responsible for prohibiting employees from taking appropriate meal and rest breaks.
• Withholding bonuses or commissions: If bonuses or commissions are a part of someone's compensation, their employer can be held accountable for withholding these payments. Many employers illegally hold back bonuses and commissions if an employee leaves.

What Issues Are Covered by Wage and Hour Laws?

California has a multitude of employment laws to help protect workers across our state. These laws cover a wide range of employment issues including but not limited to:

• Failure to pay California’s minimum wage.
• Failure to provide appropriate meal and rest breaks during work hours.
• Failure to pay overtime.
• Requiring “off the clock” work.
• Misclassification of an employee as an independent contractor.
• Misclassification of non-exempt employees as exempt.

If your employer is involved in any of these activities, they may be violating California employment laws. Contact an Orange County wage and hour attorney immediately if you suspect your employer is violating state law.

What Is the Value of Your Unpaid Wages Case?

In California, your employer must pay you at your regular rate for normal hours worked, or a premium rate for the overtime hours you worked. If your employer fails to pay you for the normal hours you worked or for the overtime hours your worked, then they must pay those unpaid wages, damages, plus penalties.

What Damages Must Employers Pay?

If an employer fails to pay their employee, they are required to compensate that employee with the following damages:

• Liquidated damages (the sum equal to your unpaid wages)
• Unpaid Wages
• Interest
• Meal period violations
• Rest break violations
• Paystub violations
• Waiting time penalties
• Sick leave violations

What damages are paid will vary depending on the circumstances of your case. This is why it is important to consult an Orange County wage and hour attorney when your employer fails to properly compensate you for your work.

Are There Other Forms of Compensation Protected by California Law?

The State of California also protects other forms of compensation that your employer may have promised you. For instance, vacation time is also treated as earned wages under California law. That means your employer cannot have policies requiring employees to lose vacation time that has already been earned.

Your employers also cannot deny you minimum wage based on other forms of compensation you receive. For example, employers cannot use your tips to make up the difference between your wage and California’s minimum wage. That means you are still entitled to minimum wage, even if you collect tips.

Each employment law attorney at our firm has an extensive background representing clients with other wage and hour law violations including illegal tip-sharing schemes, uniform deductions, dual-rate payment plans and final paycheck violations. Our Orange County wage and hour attorneys are committed to obtaining as much compensation as possible for our clients.

Consult with a Wage Dispute Lawyer in SoCal about Your Case

Our law firm accepts cases on a contingency basis, so you will owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. If you are the victim of an overtime dispute or another wage and hour law violation in Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, or Riverside, it is important to contact our offices in Tustin, California, today for a free and confidential case evaluation and, in many instances, a free initial consultation with an Orange County wage and hour claim lawyer.