San Diego Wage Theft Lawyers
You work hard for your money. When an employer fails to pay you everything you have earned it’s not just an accounting error; it is wage theft.
California has some of the strongest employment laws in the country. Unfortunately, many employers simply ignore them to save money, hoping you won’t know your employment rights.
Employers might ask you to work through lunch, skip your breaks, check emails after hours without pay, or mislabel you as an exempt salaried employee to avoid paying you overtime.
At JT Howell & Butler, we don’t let employers get away with it. We understand the complex California employment law, and we fight to claw back every dollar you are owed, plus the penalties your employer owes under California employment law.
We have listed the most common California wage theft employment law infractions below.
You pay nothing until we win your case. If you think your employer may have violated the employment law, call now for a free evaluation of your wage theft claim.
No Fees Until We WIN!
Unpaid Overtime
If you are a non-exempt worker, California employment law entitles you to additional pay rates for any hour worked beyond 40 hours in a work week. Employers often try to avoid paying overtime by asking employees to do off-the-clock work.
Off-The-Clock Work
This includes any work performed outside of normal work hours, including prep work, responding to emails, pre-shift meetings, or performing tasks after clocking out.
Meal & Rest Break Violations
California employment law requires employers to give non-exempt workers an uninterrupted 30-minute meal break for every 5 hours they have worked and a 10-minute rest break for every four hours worked.
Unpaid Commissions & Bonuses
Employers often try to withhold commission or bonuses after you leave the company, or they change the rules retroactively. Under California employment law, earned commissions are considered "wages" and must be paid according to the original deal that was made.
Misclassification (Salaried vs. Hourly)
Employers often illegally try to avoid paying overtime or giving certain benefits by misclassifying workers as independent contractors or exempt employees. This is illegal under California employment law.
The Final Paycheck Rule
When you are fired or quit, your employer must pay you everything you are owed immediately (or within 72 hours if you quit without notice). This is mandatory under California employment law.