Minimum Wage & Overtime Violations in California

Orange County employees receive a number of state and federal protections relating to their wages. For example, various regulations govern the minimum amount an employee must be paid and whether or not a given employee is entitled to overtime. California and federal wage and hour laws also cover issues relating to tips, meal breaks, and when an employee is entitled to payment. If you believe that your Orange County employer is not compensating you properly, know that California law is on your side.

Minimum Wage Violations in California

The federal law that governs most wage and hour employment practices is the Fair Labor Standards Act. The FLSA is intended to protect employees in Orange County and across the country from unfairly low compensation for their work or services. While under federal law the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, California law states that the minimum wage is $9 per hour (and set to increase to $10 per hour in January 2016). This means that, generally speaking, employers must pay Orange County employees the higher minimum wage of $9 per hour. Discuss your specific situation with a knowledgeable employment lawyer.

Overtime Pay Violations

Additionally, many California employees are entitled to overtime pay if they work over eight hours a day or forty hours in a given week and are entitled to receive double payment for your time if you work more than 12 hours in one day. What’s more, California employees who earn tips are entitled to the full state minimum wage payment for their shifts, in addition to any tips earned.

Whether you’re eligible for overtime pay depends on whether you’re considered an exempt or non-exempt employee. However, your employer might have incorrectly classified you as “exempt.” Therefore, according to California law, you still may be eligible based on your actual job responsibilities. California overtime law violations include unpaid overtime for working extra hours or for work done “off the clock,” and not being given or compensated for meal breaks.

For more information on California wage and hour laws, or to discuss filing a lawsuit against your employer for failure to pay you the wages you deserve, contact the Orange County employment lawyers at Hardin & Associates today.