Wage & Hour Litigation
California Wage and Hour Lawyer
California wage-and-hour law is detailed, employer violations are common, and employees often don’t know what they’re owed. ShortLegal represents California employees who believe their employer has not paid them what the law requires.
Wage-and-hour claims live and die on records. What the employer documented — and what they didn’t — often tells the real story. Employers generally have access to all of the records. Employees need a lawyer who knows how to get them, understand them, and use them to the employee’s advantage.
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. When that is the case, banding together with other employees can spread the costs of litigation, strengthen the case with numbers, and make it possible to pursue claims that might not be viable for a single employee acting alone.
20+ years of complex employment litigation · $50M+ recovered for employees · Trial-ready
Issues Handled
- Unpaid wages
- Misclassification
- Off-the-clock work
- Final pay and waiting time penalties
- Meal and rest break violations
- Miscalculation of overtime
- Wage statement violations
- Time rounding
- Reimbursement
- Unpaid overtime
- Regular rate issues
- Commissions or bonuses
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.
Wondering whether you’ve been paid what the law requires?
A short, confidential conversation is the simplest way to find out where you stand. There is no cost to ask.
Wage violations often affect more than one employee.
View Class Actions & PAGA