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Learn About Your Rights from an Experienced Los Angeles Wage and Hour Lawyer

As an employee in Los Angeles, you have the right to fair compensation for the hours you work. State and federal laws establish minimum wages (and other compensation requirements) for employers, and many cities and counties have established minimum wage requirements as well. If you believe your employer has not met its pay requirements, you should speak with a Los Angeles wage and hour lawyer about your legal rights.

At Attorneys For Employees, our lawyers fervently represent employees in disputes with their employers. We are fully committed to protecting employees’ interests—including their right to fair pay—and we have decades of experience helping Los Angeles residents collect the pay, benefits and additional compensation they deserve.

Minimum Wage

All employers in Los Angeles are subject to minimum wage requirements. While the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 for over a decade, California has increased the state’s minimum wage significantly. As of January 1, 2023, all employers in California must pay a minimum wage of $15.50 per hour.

But, in many cities and counties, the minimum wage is even higher. In unincorporated Los Angeles County, the minimum wage is $15.96 as of 2023. In the City of Los Angeles, it is $16.04. When it comes to paying employees the minimum wage, employers in Los Angeles must comply with all laws that apply. As the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) explains, “when there are conflicting requirements in the laws, the employer must follow the stricter standard; that is, the one that is the most beneficial to the employee.”

If you live in Los Angeles and your employer has paid you less than the county’s or city’s minimum wage, you deserve to be fairly compensated. A Los Angeles wage and hour attorney at Attorneys For Employees can fight to recover just compensation on your behalf.

Overtime

In addition to paying the minimum wage, employers in Los Angeles must also pay their employees overtime in many circumstances. Specifically, employers must pay overtime to “non-exempt” employees who work:

  • More than eight hours in a day;
  • More than 40 hours in a week; or,
  • More than six consecutive days in a week.

Each of these obligations to pay overtime applies separately. So, if you work nine hours on Monday, you are entitled to overtime for the ninth hour even if you only end up working your normal number of hours for the week. While overtime is calculated as one and a half times an employee’s wages in most circumstances, employees in Los Angeles are also entitled to double their regular wages in some cases.

Work Breaks and Paid Time Off

Employees in Los Angeles are also entitled to various protections with respect to work breaks and paid time off. If you have been denied meal and/or rest breaks, denied pay during rest breaks, denied pay during leave, or forced to take paid time off when you weren’t legally required to do so, you should talk to a Los Angeles wage and hour attorney. The laws regarding work breaks and paid time off are complicated, and while many employers comply with the law, violations are also common.

Equal Pay

Another concern for employees in Los Angeles is being denied equal pay. State and federal laws require employers in Los Angeles to compensate all employees equally for substantially equal work. Failure to meet this pay requirement is a form of discrimination, and employees who experience pay discrimination have clear legal rights.

Contractual Pay Requirements

For employees in Los Angeles who have contracts, their employers must pay all forms of compensation their contracts require. Depending on the specific terms of a contract, this may include forms such as salary, benefits, and severance, among others. If your employer has violated your employment contract, a lawyer at Attorneys For Employees can help you enforce your employer’s contractual pay requirements.

Common Issues in Wage and Hour Disputes Explained By Our Los Angeles Wage and Hour Attorneys

Disputes related to employers’ pay requirements can involve a variety of issues. Some examples of the issues a Los Angeles wage and hour lawyer at Attorneys For Employees can help you resolve include:

  • Misclassification of Employees as Independent Contractors – Employers will often misclassify their employees as independent contractors in order to avoid complying with local, state and federal pay requirements. If you’ve been misclassified, you may be entitled to significant back pay and other compensation.
  • Misclassification of “Non–Exempt” Workers as “Exempt” – Employers will also often misclassify “non-exempt” employees as “exempt” in order to avoid California’s overtime pay requirements. This, too, is against the law, and a Los Angeles wage and hour attorney at Attorneys For Employees can help you take legal action to collect the overtime pay you deserve.
  • Miscalculation of Employees’ Hours or Wages – Whether accidentally or intentionally, there is no excuse for miscalculating an employee’s hours or wages. If your employer has been underpaying you, our lawyers can hold your employer accountable.
  • Improperly Withholding Employees’ Pay – Employers are only allowed to withhold pay from their employees in very limited circumstances. If your employer has been withholding pay and you are not absolutely certain that this is allowed or required (i.e., in the case of wage garnishment), you should consult with a lawyer promptly.
  • Breach of Employment Contracts – We have significant experience representing employees in contractual pay disputes with their employers. If your employer has violated the terms of your employment contract by underpaying you, withholding payment, failing to pay severance or otherwise paying less than you are owed, our lawyers can help.

Talk to a Los Angeles Wage and Hour Lawyer in Confidence

If you need to know more about enforcing your employer’s pay requirements, we encourage you to contact us promptly. We will arrange for you to speak with an experienced Los Angeles wage and hour lawyer as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment at Attorneys For Employees, give us a call at 310-601-1330 or send us your contact information online today.

Wage & Hour Disputes and Claims