$15.0M
Recovery for employees denied legally required meal and rest breaks.
Employment
California Wage Lawyer
Has your employer shorted you on minimum wage, overtime, or meal and rest break pay? At Wilshire Law Firm — an award-winning, nationally recognized team — we help California workers recover what they earned. Contact us 24/7 for a free case review with a legal professional — there are no fees unless you get paid.
- $3B+RECOVERED
- 7X"BEST LAW FIRM" AWARDS
- 24/7AVAILABILITY & SUPPORT
- 500+LEGAL PROFESSIONALS
Understanding Your Wage & Hour Case
Explore essential resources on your rights, your options, and what to expect — everything you need to navigate the legal process, all in one place.
A California wage lawyer helps employees recover pay their employer failed to lawfully provide. Wilshire Law Firm handles the full range of wage and hour violations, including failure to pay minimum wage, unpaid overtime, missed meal and rest break premiums, unpaid commissions or bonuses, and illegal paycheck deductions. Our legal professionals review your pay records, explain your rights, and pursue your unpaid wages through negotiation or litigation. There are no fees unless you get paid.
Wilshire Law Firm is an award-winning, nationally recognized team with a proven record of standing up for California workers. Our attorneys examine your pay stubs, timekeeping records, and employment agreements, handle every conversation with your employer and their lawyers, and build your case for full recovery — all with personalized attention. There are no fees unless you get paid. Learn more about our broader employment law practice.
California workers can generally recover for a wide range of wage and hour violations. The most common include unpaid minimum wage, unpaid overtime under Labor Code §510 (time-and-a-half after 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week, and double time after 12 hours in a day), missed meal and rest break premiums under Labor Code §226.7 and §512, unpaid or withheld commissions and bonuses, and unlawful paycheck deductions. Because every workplace is different, a legal professional can review your situation during a free case review. See our focused pages on unpaid wages and equal pay.
Employees can generally recover their unpaid wages plus additional penalties and interest. This commonly includes the full amount of unpaid minimum wage and overtime, premium pay for missed meal and rest breaks, waiting time penalties under Labor Code §203 when a final paycheck is late, wage statement penalties under Labor Code §226, and interest and attorney's fees. Because the exact amounts depend on your hours and pay history, a legal professional can estimate your potential recovery during a free case review.
In most California wage cases you have three years to file a claim for unpaid wages, minimum wage, and overtime, and up to four years when the claim is brought under California's Unfair Competition Law (Business and Professions Code §17200). Claims for a written contract, such as unpaid bonuses, can reach four years. Because deadlines vary by the type of violation and missing one can end your claim, it's best to speak with a legal professional early.
Meet Our Wage & Hour Attorneys
Nationally-Recognized Powerhouse, Fighting for the Justice You Deserve
Our award-winning attorneys have recovered billions for clients while taking on insurance companies and major corporations.
John G. Yslas, Esq.Senior Partner, Chair of the Employment Wage & Hour Class Action Department
Mary Lee Caruso, Esq.Senior Partner
Tyler J. Woods, Esq.Senior Partner
Arrash Fattahi, Esq.Partner
Benjamin Haber, Esq.Partner
Nicol Hajjar, Esq.Partner
Diego Aviles, Esq.Junior Partner
Jeffrey Bils, Esq.Junior Partner
Emily Borman, Esq.Junior Partner
Jose Maria D. Patino, Jr., Esq.Junior Partner
Christina M. LeJunior Partner
William M. Pao, Esq.Junior Partner
Eugene Zinovyev, Esq.Junior Partner$12.0M
Recovery for employees denied legally required meal and rest breaks.
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Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and evaluated on its own facts.
How Do I Know If I Have a California Wage Claim?
You likely have a valid California wage claim if your employer failed to pay you all the wages you legally earned — including minimum wage, overtime, or missed meal and rest break premiums. Common signs include working off the clock, being misclassified as exempt or as an independent contractor, not receiving overtime after 8 hours in a day, being denied duty-free breaks, or seeing unexplained deductions on your paycheck. California wage-claim deadlines apply, so contact Wilshire Law Firm's employment attorneys for a free case evaluation.
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Record breaking results
Winners of #1 Settlements in California
Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars, including some of the biggest settlements in California.
17#1 Settlements in California, 2022–2024*
TopVerdict #1TopVerdict.com #1 settlements
1–1 of 17
#1 Truck v. Pedestrian Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Multi-Vehicle Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Equipment Malfunction Settlement
2024
#1 Car v. Stationary Object Collision Settlement
2024
#1 Bus v. Passenger Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Whistleblower Retaliation Settlement
2023
#1 Underinsured Motorist Settlement
2023
#1 Slip & Fall Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Negligent Security Settlement
2023
#1 Ladder Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Hotel Premises Liability Settlement
2023
#1 Car v. Car Collision Settlement
2023
#1 Bicycle Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Age/Disability Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Wrongful Termination Settlement
2022
#1 Meal & Rest Breaks Settlement
2022
*#1 settlements in California have been awarded by TopVerdict.com. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Wage & Hour FAQs
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered the most common ones below. If yours isn't here, call us — we're available 24/7.
Generally yes. Most non-exempt California employees are entitled to overtime pay, and the Labor Code allows workers to recover unpaid minimum wage and overtime. If your employer failed to pay you for all hours worked, including off-the-clock time, you may be owed back pay. An attorney can review your records.
Employees denied a required meal or rest break are generally owed one hour of premium pay for each type of break missed. These premiums can add up over months of violations. Keep any records of your schedule and missed breaks.
California imposes waiting-time penalties when an employer fails to pay all final wages on time after you leave a job. The penalty can equal a day of wages for each day the pay is late, up to a set maximum. An attorney can calculate what you may be owed.
No. California law prohibits firing, demoting, or otherwise punishing workers for asserting their wage rights. If you faced retaliation for raising a pay issue, that can be a separate claim on top of the unpaid wages. Because the specific anti-retaliation provision is not summarized in our reference materials, an attorney should confirm the basis for your claim.
Deadlines depend on the type of claim, and different wage violations carry different filing periods with their own exceptions. Because these periods are not summarized in our reference materials, confirm your specific deadline with an attorney promptly rather than assuming a single time limit. If you have faced workplace retaliation, you may have an additional claim.