Wage & Hour Litigation
California Wage and Hour Lawyer
ShortLegal, APC represents California employees in wage-and-hour disputes involving unpaid wages, overtime, meal and rest breaks, wage statements, final pay, reimbursement, and related Labor Code violations.
Wage-and-hour claims often depend on records: time records, payroll records, wage statements, schedules, policies, handbooks, messages, job duties, staffing practices, and the employer’s actual workplace procedures.
ShortLegal evaluates wage-and-hour claims from both an individual and broader litigation perspective. Some wage disputes involve one employee. Others may reveal policies or practices affecting a group of employees, supporting class or PAGA claims when the facts and law allow.
Issues Handled
- Unpaid wages
- Unpaid overtime
- Off-the-clock work
- Meal and rest break violations
- Wage statement violations
- Final pay and waiting time penalties
- Reimbursement
- Misclassification
- Commissions or bonuses
- Time rounding
- Regular rate issues
Individual, Class, and PAGA Wage Claims
Some claims involve one employee and should be pursued individually. Other claims may involve common employer policies, payroll practices, timekeeping systems, or break practices affecting many employees. In those situations, class action or PAGA representative claims may be appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
California law requires overtime to be calculated based on your "regular rate of pay" — which includes not just your hourly wage but also nondiscretionary bonuses, shift differentials, and other compensation. Many employers only use base hourly rate, which can mean your overtime is undercalculated.
Most California wage claims have a three-year statute of limitations, though some claims can go back four years under the Unfair Competition Law. Claims against government employers may have shorter deadlines — as short as six months.
No. California law prohibits retaliation against employees who complain about wage violations, file a wage claim, or cooperate in a wage investigation. Retaliation is itself a separate legal violation.
The Private Attorneys General Act allows employees to sue on behalf of the state for Labor Code violations and recover civil penalties. PAGA claims can significantly increase the value of a wage case and apply to current and former coworkers who experienced the same violations.
You can file a claim with the California Labor Commissioner without an attorney. However, for complex claims — especially those involving class issues, PAGA, or significant unpaid amounts — an experienced employment attorney can identify claims you may not know you have and recover significantly more than you would on your own.
Arbitration agreements are common but not always enforceable. California courts have found many arbitration agreements unconscionable or invalid. An attorney can evaluate whether your agreement is enforceable and what options you have.
California employment claims have strict filing deadlines — as short as six months for claims involving government employers. Once the deadline passes, even a strong claim cannot be recovered. If you believe your rights were violated, the time to act is now.
Wage violations often affect more than one employee.
View Class Actions & PAGA