Wage and Hour Lawyers in Sacramento

What Does a Sacramento Wage and Hour Attorney Do?

A Sacramento wage theft lawyer can help with a variety of tasks to protect their clients’ interests when dealing with a negligent employer. An experienced wage theft attorney can:

• Help gather evidence
• Give sound legal advice
• File a wage theft claim
• Negotiate with the employer and their attorneys
• Represent a client’s best interests in court

A qualified Sacramento wage and hour attorney navigates employment law and statutory limitations to build a compelling wage theft case to hold employers accountable. The lawyer can negotiate directly with the employer or sue for back wages, compensatory damages, and, in some cases, punitive damages. Most importantly, the right attorney can put an end to unfair practices and help employees recover the wages they are legally owed.

Wage and Hour Laws in Sacramento

In Sacramento, wage and hour laws are designed to protect employees and ensure they receive fair compensation. While the rate of hourly wages has often been debated and changed, there is no excuse for failing to properly pay an employee for the work they do.

Minimum Wage

According to California’s Department of Industrial Relations, the statewide minimum wage — including in Sacramento — is set at $16.50 per hour as of January 1st, 2025.

However, some cities and counties have higher minimum wage rates due to local governments passing their own ordinances. California has mandated a new $20 minimum wage for all fast-food employees and a higher minimum wage rate for health care employees, if they meet certain requirements.

Sacramento wage and hour attorneys can help enforce minimum wage laws.

Overtime Pay

Section 510 of California’s Labor Code mandates overtime pay (1.5x pay) whenever an employee:

• Works more than 8 hours in a single day
• Works more than 40 hours within a workweek
• Works any hours on the seventh consecutive day
  • After 8 hours on that seventh day, they earn double time (2x pay)

Meal and Rest Breaks

According to California Labor Code 512, employees must be provided with a 30-minute unpaid meal break for every 5 hours worked. They are also entitled to a 10-minute break for every 4 hours of work. The only exception to the 30-minute meal break is when the employee is off their shift by the 5th hour.

Should an employee work five hours or more without receiving an uninterrupted meal break, it would be a meal break violation. Sacramento employers violating meal and rest break laws can be fined and even sued by a wage theft lawyer for noncompliance.

Common Wage and Hour Violations in Sacramento

Wage theft cases are a serious and unfortunately common scenario affecting thousands of California employees every year. According to the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, at least 30,000 wage theft cases are filed every year — but only about one-eighth of those cases are resolved.

Workers should understand some of the most common examples of wage theft so they can recognize the signs and make the necessary preparations to protect themselves. A Sacramento wage and hour attorney can fight for employees’ rights in all types of wage theft.

Minimum Wage Violations

A minimum wage violation is when an employer pays an employee less than the legally required minimum wage. In California, these cases often occur with businesses where workers are paid at a daily or weekly rate that doesn’t reflect the actual hours worked.

However, in more complex cases, employers may try to deduct an employee’s wage for expenses that should be reimbursed, such as uniforms, supplies, and other job-related costs.

Unpaid Overtime

Any employee who has worked more than 8 hours a day, or more than 40 hours in a work week, is entitled to overtime pay.

Some of the most common instances of unpaid overtime occur when employers have their employees do prep work before they clock in to avoid paying them more. However, more complex malicious instances typically involve employers manipulating time cards or simply refusing to pay their employees the legally required rate for overtime. A Sacramento wage and hour attorney can hold employers responsible for paying unpaid overtime.

Unpaid Rest/Meal Breaks

Every California employee is legally required to take an uninterrupted 10-minute rest break every 4 hours and a meal break if they work more than 5 hours in their shift. Unpaid meal breaks occur when an employer denies their employees their legally mandated rest or meal breaks and/or pressures them to work through their breaks without pay.

Unpaid Reimbursements

According to California Labor Code 2802, any employee who has used their own money for job-related expenses is entitled to be compensated by their employer for their expenses. Expenses can range from traveling to another location for work to purchasing necessary supplies in order to perform their duties.

If any employer fails to reimburse their employees, an unpaid wages attorney can hold them liable for their actions. Depending on the size and nature of the company, it could be susceptible to a class action lawsuit.

Misclassifying Employment Status

Misclassification occurs when employers improperly categorize their employees as independent contractors or exempt employees to avoid paying benefits, overtime, and any other entitlements protected under California labor laws.

For instance, a full-time employee is entitled to minimum wage, health benefits, sick pay, overtime pay, double pay, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance. These can all be denied to improperly categorized independent contractors.

Sacramento wage theft attorneys commonly handle improperly categorized independent contractor cases.

Our Sacramento Wage and Hour Lawyers Can Help Protect Your Earnings

Victims of wage theft may feel helpless to recover the compensation they have earned from their negligent employer. However, hiring an experienced wage and hour attorney in Sacramento can help them get the just compensation they deserve.

Lawyers for Justice, PC is a powerful law firm that specializes in wage and hour violations. Their wage theft attorneys are prepared to take cases and fight for employees affected by negligent employment practices.

To get started on a claim, call (818) JUSTICE for a free case consultation!

FAQs About Wage and Hour in Sacramento