What employers owe, and skim
California requires overtime after 8 hours a day or 40 a week, meal periods by the fifth hour, paid rest breaks, reimbursement of work expenses including phone use and mileage, and full wages on time, every time. Violations pile up penalties fast: waiting time penalties alone can add 30 days of wages.
Common wage theft patterns
- Working through lunch while auto-deduct takes 30 minutes
- Off-the-clock prep, closing, or answering messages at home
- Misclassifying workers as exempt salaried or contractors
- Unreimbursed mileage, uniforms, and personal phone use
- Bonuses excluded from overtime calculations
Small amounts become big cases
A shaved 15 minutes a day is real money over four years, and the statutes add interest, penalties, and attorney fees on top. Where a policy hit everyone, class and representative actions multiply the pressure. We evaluate both individual and group claims.
Questions we hear
I agreed to work through breaks. Can I still recover?
Usually yes. Meal and rest obligations are the employer's, and most waivers don't hold up, especially with pressure or understaffing.
I was paid salary. Does overtime still apply?
A salary alone doesn't make you exempt. Your actual duties and pay level decide. Misclassified salaried workers often have large overtime claims.
How far back can I claim unpaid wages?
Up to four years under California's unfair competition law. Records help but aren't required. Estimates and schedules can prove hours.