Wage & Hour Attorney Los Angeles

Every employee who puts in an honest day’s work deserves to be paid every dollar they legally earned. California has some of the most protective labor laws in the United States, yet wage theft remains widespread. Employers across Los Angeles routinely cut corners by shorting paychecks, failing to pay overtime, denying mandatory break periods, or improperly misclassifying workers.

At the Law Offices of Jacob Emrani, our aggressive Los Angeles wage and hour attorneys fight for workers to recover stolen wages, statutory penalties, and interest. If your employer has failed to compensate you properly, we are here to hold them accountable.

Common Wage & Hour Violations in California

Our wage and hour legal team represents employees in individual claims and wage class action lawsuits involving:

1. Unpaid Overtime & Double Time

Under California Labor Code § 510:

• Non-exempt employees are entitled to 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for any hours worked beyond 8 hours in a workday or 40 hours in a workweek.
• Employees earn double time (2.0 times regular rate) for any work beyond 12 hours in a workday or beyond 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day of work.

2. Missed Meal and Rest Breaks

California law strictly mandates:

• 30-Minute Unpaid Meal Break: Required for shifts over 5 hours. The break must be uninterrupted and relieved of all duty.
• 10-Minute Paid Rest Break: Required for every 4 hours worked (or major fraction thereof).
• Penalty: For each workday an employer fails to provide a compliant meal or rest break, the employee is entitled to one additional hour of pay at their regular rate.

3. Worker Misclassification (Independent Contractor vs. Employee - AB 5)

Under California Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) and the “ABC Test,” most workers are legally classified as employees, not independent contractors (1099 workers). Misclassified workers are wrongfully denied overtime, meal breaks, expense reimbursements, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation coverage.

4. Off-the-Clock Work

Employers cannot require or encourage employees to perform work tasks before clocking in or after clocking out — including completing paperwork, closing up shop, answering calls or emails, or putting on safety gear.

5. Failure to Reimburse Business Expenses

Under California Labor Code § 2802, employers must indemnify employees for all necessary expenditures incurred in direct consequence of their duties — including personal cell phone usage, mileage/gas for work travel, uniforms, and home office equipment.

6. Minimum Wage & Tip Theft

Employers must pay at least the applicable state or local minimum wage (which is higher in Los Angeles). Employers are strictly prohibited from stealing or improperly skimming employee tips or tip pools.

What Compensation Can You Recover in a Wage Claim?

If your employer violated California wage laws, you may be entitled to recover:

• Unpaid Wages & Overtime Pay for up to 3 or 4 years back.
• Meal & Rest Period Premium Pay (1 extra hour of pay per violation per day).
• Waiting Time Penalties: Up to 30 days of full daily pay under Labor Code § 203 if final wages are not paid on time upon separation.
• PAGA Penalties: Civil penalties under the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).
• Interest and Attorney Fees: California law requires employers to pay the employee’s legal fees upon winning a wage lawsuit.

How to Prepare Your Wage & Hour Case

• Collect pay stubs, W-2s, 1099s, and employment contracts.
• Maintain a personal log of daily start times, end times, meal break durations, and overtime worked.
• Save work emails, schedules, text messages, or Slack messages showing after-hours work.
• Speak with an attorney before confronting your employer or signing any wage release forms.

Contact a Los Angeles Wage & Hour Lawyer Today

Don’t let your employer keep your hard-earned pay. Call the Law Offices of Jacob Emrani at (888) 952-2623 or submit our online contact form for a free, confidential consultation.