California workers who feel their employer is taking advantage of them have a right to speak out and defend themselves, and they deserve to be paid for the hours they work. There are laws that protect employees from unpaid wages and unpaid overtime. A Los Angeles wage and hour lawyer is a vital and essential resource for workers seeking fairness in compensation.
The primary goal of each Los Angeles unpaid wages and overtime lawyer at California Employment Counsel, APC, is to see to it that our clients’ work is compensated and their employers pay them the owed wages they earned.
With our dedicated and unwavering approach to unpaid wages, we work with our clients to rigorously pursue justice and hold employers responsible when they break state wage and hour laws. We have the experience and understanding of the legal system and the law to get our clients paid for the wages they earn.
In addition to wage and hour claims, we also handle the following employment law cases:
A Los Angeles wage and hour attorney can provide a variety of legal services for employees who feel they aren’t being compensated properly at work. Below is a list of various issues an attorney can assist with:
There are specific qualities a good Los Angeles employment attorney should have. The most important of these traits are explained below:
When it comes to workers’ pay and compensation for work, as well as other employee rights, Los Angeles, California has specific rules employers must adhere to. When they don’t, it is up to the employee to speak up and defend their rights. In ideal situations, this is done with the help of an experienced Los Angeles unpaid wages and overtime lawyer who understands the laws explicitly and how to apply them to cases involving employment law violations.
Below is a breakdown of some of the most important employment laws in CA.
California law requires employers to pay hourly workers their regular hourly wage plus half of their regular hourly wage, commonly referred to as time and a half, for all overtime hours worked. Overtime hours are defined as any hours worked over eight hours in one day. For hours worked over 12 hours in one day, the rate of pay should be double the regular hourly pay, according to state law.
California further defines overtime as any hours worked over 40 hours in one week or any hours worked on the seventh consecutive day. Additionally, employers must include overtime pay in the pay period in which the overtime was worked. If an employer does not pay or delays paying overtime owed to an employee, it is wage theft.
Employees who have been victims of wage theft should contact an employment attorney because they may be eligible to file an unpaid wages claim.
California law requires workers to have a half-hour unpaid and uninterrupted meal break per five hours worked. The law allows this break to be waived if the shift is no longer than six hours. Also, the break must be taken before the end of the fifth working hour.
In addition, a paid 10-minute break is required by law for every four hours worked. It must be uninterrupted, and the 10 minutes must be consecutive. At the sixth hour, a second break should be given for the second four hours of the shift. All breaks must be free from job-related duties.
Some types of employees are exempt from the law that requires employers to pay overtime. For instance, workers who are paid a salary do not get overtime. Therefore, some dishonest employers misclassify hourly workers as salaried employees to avoid paying them overtime. Misclassification can also be used to avoid paying workers for their breaks or giving them the time required by law for their breaks.
Misclassifying employees is illegal, and any employee who feels their employer is wrongly classifying them should speak to an attorney about the potential for filing a claim against their employer to recover lost wages for unpaid overtime and unpaid breaks.
Some employers don’t give workers paid breaks, and in some instances, employers make workers clock out for breaks when they should be getting paid or pay workers straight time when they should be getting paid overtime. In most cases, it’s not a one-time occurrence and, in fact, goes on for a duration of time or indefinitely. These unpaid wages add up over time and result in thousands of dollars owed to the employee.
State law requires workers to be compensated for their time with appropriate wages, and employers who do not recognize the importance of state-required breaks and obeying wage laws must be penalized for doing so. When employers don’t recognize California overtime laws and other important employment laws, they should be prepared to face the consequences of these violations.
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When filing a claim with the state for unpaid wages, an unpaid wages attorney can help the employee understand when to file their claim, whether within two, three, or four years, according to state law.
Additionally, an attorney can help determine which of the six units within the Labor Commissioner’s Office (also called the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE)) to file their claim. They can also aid in researching and gathering the required documents and evidence necessary to get a claim approved.
For example, a Deputy Labor Commissioner is assigned to oversee each claim and will ask for certain proof and supporting documents for the case. Some of the documentation that may be required to submit includes the following:
An employment lawyer can also assist in filing the initial report or claim with the local district office of the Labor Commissioner that handles claims within the city where the job is located. Once filed, the employer will be notified by mail regarding the upcoming settlement conference. Both the employee and the employer must attend. If the employee does not attend, the case may be dismissed. An attorney can help make sure that doesn’t happen.
If the claim isn’t settled at the initial settlement conference, the case will have a scheduled hearing. All parties will receive a Notice of Hearing with the date and time. Both the employer and the employee will testify under oath and be given the opportunity to submit evidence in support of the claim or against it in support of the defense.
The employee is responsible for proving their employer owes them wages. This is when an attorney can really make things easier by questioning defendants and their witnesses, preparing the employee for the hearing in advance with possible questions and appropriate answers, preparing notes, and presenting them to the court.
Other organizations may be involved depending on the nature of the case. For example, if you believe your wage or hour mistreatment occurred due to discrimination based on protected characteristics, your case may involve the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Los Angeles District Office. This office is located at 255 E Temple Street. It’s one of many organizations our firm can work with to help process your claim.
Los Angeles is a massive area containing many businesses and talented workers. But there is an important distinction to be made between the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. This information eliminates potential confusion for employees and also gives employers less of an opportunity to try to intentionally deny their workers fair compensation.
The minimum wage for workers in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County is currently $18.47 per hour. The citywide minimum wage for Los Angeles is $18.42 per hour as of July 1, 2026.
While this may seem like a minor difference, when you consider that this small difference can compound over hours, days, weeks, months, and years, plus during overtime, the difference becomes more impactful.
Our team knows that a wage and hour case is as much about principle as it is compensation. When an employer understands they cannot short a worker, even in small amounts, it creates a more respectable environment based on fairness and professionalism.
Los Angeles depends on its massive economy to contribute to California’s overall nation-leading GDP, which sits at about $4.3 trillion. For powering such a massive professional ecosystem, workers deserve fair treatment. This can also be relevant to their industry and job status.
For example, hotel workers in Los Angeles at locations with 60 or more rooms are paid $22.50 per hour, as well as a $7.65 hourly healthcare benefit when applicable. Similar customary wage requirements also exist in fields such as healthcare, as well as for work arrangements like freelancing and gig work.
Our law firm understands the complexities of wage and hour laws as they pertain to city vs. county, industry-specific locations, and non-traditional work arrangements. When you hire a wage and hour lawyer from California Employment Counsel, APC, you can expect a team that combines in-depth knowledge with a deep sense of compassion in protecting workers.
Many retail employees face unpredictable schedules that make it difficult to manage childcare, education, second jobs, side hustles, and personal time. This can create unbalanced obligations that see workers taken advantage of.
The Fair Work Week Ordinance provides scheduling protections for workers to help ensure the demands of their retail schedule don’t pose an undue lifestyle burden that they aren’t compensated for. Depending on the employer and circumstances, protections can include:
If your employer repeatedly changes your schedule without proper notice or fails to comply with other aspects of this law, contact a skilled Los Angeles wage and hour attorney from our firm. These laws are often ignored by employers, and in some cases, employees may not know about them.
Our firm brings the professional standing and knowledge of wage and hour laws to hold retail employees accountable to these job-specific protections.
While employees may know that they are entitled to be paid for the hours that they are actively performing job-specific duties, staying in the flow of work, and directly engaging with key tasks, many neglect to consider the supplementary activities around their work.
Smaller activities may only seem like preparatory and supporting tasks, yet they also represent a commitment the employee must make. They constitute time sacrificed, and when you add them up over time, they represent a great deal of personal time and energy investment that must legally be compensated.
The following off-the-clock activities may be eligible for potential compensation:
These unique nuances illustrate the diversity and complexity of workplace and employment laws. Some people never assume that simple activities outside of their key work tasks are eligible for compensation and may go years without being paid what they’re truly owed.
Our law firm can help you assess work activities, supplementary tasks, and any other duties that your employer may be required to pay you for. Employees are valuable, whether they’re the 50,000 city employees or the 4.5 million across Los Angeles County. We can advocate to make sure every worker gets what they’re legally owed.
The process of recovering wages from an employer is complicated and difficult to navigate for those who have never done so before. The California unpaid wages attorneys at California Employment Counsel, APC, have experience working with these departments to recover workers’ unpaid wages paid.
Our attorneys can guide employees who have been victims of wage theft through the process of getting their wages paid from beginning to end. We speak Spanish and happily represent all clients, regardless of immigration status, as immigration status does not affect an employee’s ability to recoup unpaid wages and unpaid overtime.
Contact California Employment Counsel, APC, today to speak with a member of our qualified and compassionate legal team and discuss how we can help you with your unpaid wages claim.
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714-462-8376
555 Anton Blvd., Suite 150,
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
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