Employee Rights Under Wage and Hour Laws in Long Beach
Too often, employees do not appreciate the value of receiving timely and complete wages until there is a problem. While California labor laws outline the rights of employees, few workers know how to enforce their rights without experienced legal guidance. Felahy Law Group has the skills and tenacity needed to recognize and fight for the wages employers owe to their employees. The firm provides advice and represents workers for the following wage disputes in Long Beach:
- Unpaid wages disputes
- Overtime disputes
- Payday, pay periods, and final wages disputes
Handling an Unpaid Wages Claim in Long Beach
California implemented wage and hour laws to prevent employers from gaining commercial advantage at the expense of the workers. To enforce their rights, workers must remain aware of the possible causes for a claim, including:
- Not receiving their last paycheck
- Not receiving payment for unused vacation time when employment ends
- Unauthorized paycheck deductions
- Unpaid/non-reimbursed business expenses
- Unpaid wages, bonuses, or commissions
- Insufficient funds in the bank account the wages are drawn from
You should not attempt to handle any of these situations without aggressive representation from Felahy Law Group. Since 1998, the firm has helped thousands of clients receive unpaid wages—even when other firms would not help. Let their experience benefit your unpaid wages claim in Long Beach. Whether you require advice or representation in an administrative hearing or in court, the attorneys at Felahy Law Group are available to help.
What Employees Should Know About Overtime Laws
With few exceptions, California requires employers to pay workers overtime. If an employee works more than eight hours a day and 40 hours a week, the employer must pay that person one and one-half times the regular pay rate. This includes unauthorized overtime, although an employer may reprimand an employee if his or her contract says they must receive authorization prior to working extra hours.
Despite this overtime law, employees in certain fields cannot collect overtime—such as commercial drivers. Additionally, based on independent factors, some workers receive overtime differently from the way it is described here. An employer may try to claim you are not entitled to overtime because of your job, either by error or by intentional deception.
No matter what the reason, if you believe your employer is denying you the overtime wages you deserve, schedule a free consultation with an attorney at Felahy Law Group.
Pay Days, Periods, and Final Wage Laws in Long Beach
While the State of California requires employers to pay their employees at least twice during a month, the frequency depends on the occupation of the person. An employer also has to tell you where you can pick up your paycheck and what the regular paydays are.
When your employment ends, your employer has a period during which to pay your final wages, including all accrued vacation time. Usually, the employer has 72 hours in which to pay you. If you do not give your employer 72 hours notice that you quit, the company must still have your pay available three days after notification that you are leaving.
If your pay is not available to you after three days, your employer faces a waiting time penalty. This penalty is equal to your rate of pay for every day after the required 72 hours, and for a maximum of 30 days. If you request that your employer mail your final paycheck, the law considers the date the check is mailed to be the date of payment.
However, if you do not request that your employer mail your check, you must return to your office or other place of employment to pick up your final wages. An employee that refuses or fails to pick up his or her last paycheck will not get waiting time penalties.
Seek Experienced Legal Counsel
Felahy Law Group has spent more than twelve years defending the rights of employees in Southern California. The attorneys at the firm possess the skills and integrity required to maintain their reputation for successfully fighting for the wages employees deserve.
With their help, employers have paid millions of dollars in wages wrongfully withheld from hard-working people. Schedule a free initial consultation to learn more about employment law in Los Angeles and Long Beach. Felahy Law Group has the experience you need to fight for the money you deserve.
