California wage and hour laws regulate the standards for how and when employers must pay their non-exempt employees, as well as cover issues like time worked. Our Modesto employment attorneys explain common wage and hour laws in California below.
What Do Wage and Hour Laws in California Encompass?
Wage and hour laws encompass many different issues, including:
- Minimum wage
- Overtime
- Meal and rest breaks
- Tips
- Vacation time
- Final paychecks
- Deductions
There are many nuances and exemptions to California’s wage and hour laws. Additionally, determining which employees are properly classified as exempt or non-exempt from California’s wage and hour laws is highly complex. Employers want to ensure proper classification for their employees, and employees want to ensure they are not misclassified. If you have questions about how these laws may affect you as an employee or employer, reach out to an experienced employment attorney.
Examples of Wage and Hour Laws in California
There are many wage and hour laws in California that affect employers and non-exempt employees. If you have questions about certain laws and how they may affect you, we recommend that you speak to an experienced employment attorney at our firm. Below are examples of a few common wage and hour laws in California.
Overtime Laws in California
In California, employers cannot employ non-exempt employees more than eight hours in a workday or more than 40 hours in a workweek without paying them overtime pay. This is one and a half times the employee’s regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess.
For any hours worked in excess of 12 hours in a workday, employers must pay their non-exempt employees double time. However, there are many exemptions to this overtime law.
California’s Minimum Shift Law
Non-exempt employees who normally work eight-hour shifts are guaranteed four-hour minimum pay for any day when they are scheduled and report to work, but are not needed or sent home early. This law guarantees at least partial compensation to employees.
Meal and Rest Break Laws
If a non-exempt employee works more than five hours, then the employer must provide at least 30 minutes for a meal break. However, if the employee works no more than six hours, the employee and employer can mutually decide to waive the meal break.
An employer must provide an additional 30 minutes for a meal break if the employee works more than 10 hours during the work period. However, if the work period does not exceed 12 hours, then the employee and employer can mutually agree to waive the break.
Contact Our Modesto Employment Attorneys Today
At Swingle, Van Egmond & Heitlinger, we help employees and employers navigate California’s wage and hour laws. Our Modesto employment attorneys want to meet with you to discuss your issues and concerns. We are happy to answer any legal questions you may have about California employment laws and how they may affect you.
We are available for in-person and virtual consultations. Call our office today at (209) 522-2211. You can also contact us online, and we will be in touch with you soon.
