Employment Law Information

Your Rights As A Worker In The Golden State

By Jay L. Rosenlieb

California workers are some of the most productive in the entire world, and one of the reasons why is because the laws designed to protect them and their labor are some of the most robust ever created. This means that if you work in the Golden State, your employers and bosses must respect a number of laws, and if they don’t, the courts can be used to fix the situation and get you the justice you deserve.

State and federal law requires that many employee laws are posted in at least one place in a business, commonly in a place where workers can congregate such as an entryway or a break room. Four of the most important rights California workers have include:

1. Minimum Wage: The federal government sets a nationwide minimum wage, currently at $7.25 an hour. However, California sets its minimum wage at $8.00, and with certain exceptions, everyone that works in the state must be paid at least that much money. It is important to remember that minimum wage does not apply to every situation, so it helps to contact an employment law attorney to discover your rights regarding the basic amount you have to be paid per hour.
2. Overtime Laws: Overtime pay is to be paid for any work over eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a workweek. If a person working in a job is entitled to overtime, that amount should be the employee’s regular rate plus one half, commonly called time-and-a-half. Failure to pay overtime is one of the most common types of violations found in job situations in the Golden State.
3. Accurate Timekeeping: Employers in California are required to keep track of all the hours their employees worked, to ensure that they are adhering to all laws and that their workers are being paid appropriately. Many people think that their employers automatically record their time, but there are numerous ways that bookkeeping violations and intentional oversights can occur.
4. Protection from Retaliation: This extremely important but often overlooked and misunderstood right of California workers can make a significant difference in a complicated work environment. The law states that if you take legal action against your employer for a legitimate grievance, they cannot retaliate against you or your job.There are dozens and dozens of other statutes designed to help protect the rights of all the workers in California.

There are, however, dozens and dozens of ways that employers can fail to follow the rules. Sometimes they make innocent mistakes; sometimes they intentionally set out to take advantage of the good faith and trust of their employees. In either situation, the fact of the matter is you and likely your fellow employees have had their rights violated, and you need to take action in order to get the justice you deserve.

If by some chance you find yourself in a working environment where your employer is violating your rights, legal action may be the most effective solution to your problems. Taking your employer to court is another one of your rights, and can make all the difference in the world.

Jay L. Rosenlieb of the California Employee Rights Attorneys is an experienced employment lawyer. Mr. Rosenlieb will represent you and your fellow employees to ensure your rights as California workers.

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