The labor laws in California have numerous provisions to protect employee rights. If you are an employee in the state, these legal provisions can protect you from discrimination and illegal conduct. They also protect you from employer exploitation, so if you feel that your employer is taking undue advantage, you can consider consulting an experienced, knowledgeable labor law attorney about the matter. You can find a lawyer through recommendation or an online search for “labor law attorney Los Angeles.” The authorities may fine your employer if they have violated the labor laws.

Things you should know about common labor law violations

For protecting your workplace rights, it is essential to know about these common labor law violations:

Minimum wage violation

Employers fail to follow minimum wage rules in paying their employees. As per the California employment law, employers who employ 25 or fewer people must pay their employees a minimum wage of $13 per hour. The minimum wage rate is $14 per hour for employees if their employers employ 26 or more employees. Employers must also follow the minimum wage rule when paying contract workers who receive per unit pay.

Overtime pay

Employers fail to pay their employees for overtime work. The legal definition of overtime work is any work you perform over eight hours per day, 40 hours per week, or the first eight hours of work on the seventh day of work in a work week. Overtime pay is one and a half times the regular pay for these extra hours. You should receive double the regular wages if your work hours exceed 12 hours a day or over eight hours on the seventh day of work in a work week.

Meal and rest breaks

Employers refuse to grant employees the legally mandated meal and rest breaks. As per the employment law in California, you can take reasonable breaks for meals and rest during a workday. The law stipulates ten minutes of break for every four work hours and a 30-minute meal break after five hours of work.

Paid sick leave

Employers refuse to let you take paid sick leave. According to the employment law in California, you can take at least 24 hours or three days of paid sick leave per year. If you have accrued paid sick leave, the employer must mention how many days are available on your pay stub and also the number of paid vacation days still unused. You can then take this accrued leave or cash in for it.

Safe workplace

Employers fail to provide employees with a physically safe work environment, safety training, and work insurance. They may also fail to protect them from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Additionally, they may subject them to wrongful termination.

Aside from hiring a lawyer by searching online for “labor law attorney Los Angeles,” you can get assistance in labor law violation cases from agencies like the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Division of Occupational Safety & Health, and the Employment Development Department.